Jealousy
by PureTrash202
Summary: Emotions are a powerful force. They can lead to revelations, new inventions, a better world. Or, they drag humans to the pits of insanity...Love, envy, jealousy, hate...These emotions are what break Star from the inside out...
1. Chapter 1

Star vs The Forces of Evil

The Power of Jeaulosy

 **Hey guys, it's me...ya boi...Pure Trash. This is just something I've been really wondering about. And along with my trusted friend, cal+formula, we created something i think we can be proud of. This is going to be a multi chapter story, so look out for when a new chapter uploads.**

 **Just a warning though….This is going to be a dark fanfic, T rated most likely, but really only for things like blood and such.**

 **Alright everybody, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to comment down below. Love to hear feedback.**

It was another beautiful morning in Echo Creek. The sun was out, it's rays peeking through the blinds. The birds sang a wonderful tone that reverberated through the neighborhood.

Princess Star Butterfly was running around the Diaz household with her laser puppies. Her first destination was to visit her friend and living buddy's room, Marco Diaz. She ran over to his bedroom door and turned the doorknob, finding it unlocked and running to his side.

"Good morning Marco! Wake up, wake up, wake up!" She cheered in a sing song voice, shaking his shoulder a bit. "Come on, you need to get ready for school! There's a huge rally today, remember? I LOVE rallies!"

Marco then mumbled in his sleep as he grumbled:

"Star….I don't wanna go on to the rally….I stayed up super late hanging out with Jackie last night…." Marco then looked at Star's vibrant eyes and quickly gave up hope of having a normal, relaxing day. "Uhhh….fine...you win….." Marco whined as he started. to get ready for school.

"Hanging out with Jackie?" Star questioned, a frown appearing on her face. "Doing what/" Star then crossed her arms and got off Marco's bed, following him to the bathroom. She hated when he talked about jackie in front of her. Just the mentioning of her name at this point sickened her.

" _Uhhh….I don't know why she gets so defensive when I talk about Jackie….It's starting to get kind of annoying….."_ Marco thought inside of his head.

"Why do you ask?" Marco asked Star as he started to comb through his messy bed hair.

"I ask because...well….." Star blushed as she looked away to avoid eye contact with him.

"Because you're my best friend, and I need to know if you did anything you weren't supposed to do."

" _There she goes again…...Thinking I did something bad with her…." Marco thought once more._

"Look Star, she's a skater girl., not a drug dealer. She's not going to get me into anything dangerous. In fact, I would probably paint a bigger target on our backs than she will." Marco huffed.

"Okay, okay…." Star crossed her arms and hopped onto the counter of the sink, sitting there and kicking her legs back and forth.

"It's just…...You're spending so much time with her lately, and we've barely even hung out recently at all." Star said sadly.

"Well yeah! She is my girlfriend after all star. I do kinda have to hang out with her. And besides, we do live together in the same house." Marco said with a shrug on his shoulders, not paying attention to the hurt look on Star's face.

She then rolled her eyes and turned away, staring at her lap and playing with her wand, trying to get her mind off of the subject. "Yeah, we do live together. But that doesn't matter either! When we get home from school, you run up to your room to text and call your GIIIRLLFRIEND nonstop." Star said, emphasising the word girlfriend.

"Honestly, it's really annoying and it's starting to bug me."

"Well excuse me princess…." Marco muttered under his breath as he went to grab his backpack and hoodie.

"Grrr….What's your problem!?" Star had now risen her voice a bit, grabbing her backpack and putting it on. "I'm just worried for your safety, Marco. You know, you should be a little grateful that I care…..Unlike you!" She turned hr back to him, gripping her wand tightly. "Ever since you meet Jackie, it's like I mean nothing to you.

"Well maybe if you weren't acting mean and weird to Jackie! Don't think I haven' heard what you say about her to Janna and Pony Head. You always think that she's a bad influence on me, or that she's treating me badly. But when I hang out with, THAT's where I feel the most happy. But whenever I mention her, you tense up and get all defensive and angry!" Marco fired back at Star.

"Ugh!" Star groans and shakes her head. "I don't get angry! I just don't like it! Stop yelling at me like I'm your child!" Star shouted back, not really having anything to say back to Marco.

" _I just can't say straight up that I have a crush on him….."_ She thought to herself, waiting for his reply.

"And why don't you like it Star? My family is fine with her….My friends are fine with her…..I'm fine with her! So why can't YOU!?" Marco demanded, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"I just….don't! Like I said….I barely get any time with you anymore! And I miss that!" Star bit her lip to hold in almost blurting out that she had a crush on him, but looked down at the ground instead.

"I mean….." Her voice cracked and her bottom lip quivered, feeling two silent tears roll down her cheeks.

"You're never around anymore….the house seems so empty without you. I feel so alone Marco." She hugged herself and let out a soft sob, turning away so he didn't have to see her meltdown.

"Well I don't want to hang out with someone who would want to keep me to herself. You're acting really uncompromising and selfish Star…...Me and Jackie are dating now…...That's a truth that I hope you can get used to. If not, then maybe you aren't the person I thought you were…." Marco said harshly as he looked straight into Star's tearing blue eyes.

Star didn't say a word. She felt that it was useless saying anything else, and instead, she stormed out of the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. She ran down the stairs, nearly tripping on the last step. She no longer felt like waiting up for Marco and left for school without him, crying and sobbing the rest of the way to school. "Jerk…." She mumbled to herself as she sniffed.


	2. Chapter 2- Betrayal

Chapter 2….Betrayal

At the beginning of first period, it felt extremely awkward. Star would always cast angry and dirty glares at Marco and Jackie both, and Janna had avoided Marco all day whenever he wanted to speak with her. Marco merely felt nonchalant about it, still feeling angry over what happened…..Jackie felt differently however…..

"Look Marco….I don't like the way Star is glaring at me…..Did something happen between you two?" She asked.

"No...it's fine….Star's just acting really childish right now…."Marco said angrily.

The last thing he needed at the moment was to be reminded of what happened between him and Star. Sure, they fought sometimes….but it never ended this poorly.

"Diaz….something is happening...And I want to know what…."Jackie asked.

"I don't wanna talk about it...just leave it b-" Marco began to say before his hands were grabbed and he was now staring at Jackie.

"Ah...Darn it...I hate it when she stares at me like that...How come I always cave when a girl looks at me like that?" He thought to himself as he sighed.

"Come on Marco...stay strong…"

"Come on Marco...for me…?" Jackie said quietly as she stared into Marco's eyes.

Marco then blushed as he looked into her expansive green eyes.

After a few moments, Marco couldn't exactly hold on much longer, as he eventually caved in.

"Alright fine….Star and I had an argument, but it was nothing big…" Marco admitted.

"Oh really? Doesn't look like it my dude. She's been ignoring you like every girl in the school does to me." Ferguson said as he slid next to him.

"Ah! Ferg!" Marco said in surprise, flopping backward in his chair as a few students laughed behind him.

"Come on Ferg! It's not that bad! Besides, who invited you into this anyway?" Marco said as he pouted, crossing his arms.

"We did." Ferguson replied said with a smirk as Alfonso then scooted over.

"It would be better to just talk to her, yes?" He asked as Jackie then nodded.

"They are right Marco." She said with a shrug as she looked back at him, only for Marco to groan.

"Ugh...The one time they are….Fine you guys. I give...I'll talk to her tonight and see what's up." Marco said as he rubbed his temples.

"Hey...don't worry! We'll solve this together. I mean, it's just a little fight, right? Nothing the two of us can't solve." Jackie said as she smiled at him.

"I'm not too sure about this…."Marco said nervously as he rubbed his head nervously.

"Bro, Star is pretty chill about things. And you two are, what? Best friends right?" Ferguson said as he slapped Marco's back.

"I think she will be most agreeable Marco. This is Star we're talking about here." Alfonso said with a matching smile.

"Annnnnd...You're not going to be alone. We can sort this whole mess together. It's going to be Movie Night for us anyways." Jackie said with a wink.

"Now that's what I'm afraid of. What if she gets even more upset with you there?" Marco asked.

"Chill out Diaz...Star is pretty cool. I'm sure this is just some big misunderstanding." Jackie said calmly as she relaxed back in her seat.

"That's what you think…." Marco sighed as Jackie then put her hands on her hip.

"Well...I've tried everything to persuade. Well….all but this anyway." Jackie said as she then leaned forward, giving Marco a quick peck on the cheek.

In response to that, his cheeks flushed a bright red.

"Well look at you Marco...Such a ladies man!" Ferguson said as he cat called, making both Jackie and Ferguson to laugh in response.

"Yeah, get a room you two!" Alfonso teased.

"You guys…." Marco said before Ferguson then cut him off.

"Are the bestest friends in the universe, we know. But how about you focus on your lady for a minute?" Ferguson said as he made finger guns at him, now moving over to the turn in basket to slip in his assignment.

"But- I!" Marco stammered as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Bestest isn't even a word…." Marco sighed as Jackie could only giggle a bit.

"Well, I gotta catch up with Brittany. How about….see you during lunch?" Jackie asked.

"Uh, yeah! That sounds cool!" Marco said nervously as Jackie fist-bumped him.

"How….did I get so lucky?" Marco thought to himself as he took a deep breath.

Star herself had marched up to the schoolyard as she barged into her class, once again ending up late to class.

"Mrs. Butterly this...Mrs. Butterly that...I'd just wish she'd know how to chill out about that. How was I supposed to know there was something called….tardy passes?" Star grumbled to herself as she walked to her seat and sat down.

"Well….you certainly look grouchy today. What? You slept on the wrong side of the bed or something?" Janna asked as she looked at her with that ever-present smirk she always wore.

"I wish...No. It's just some...uh...issues." Star said dismissively as she turned away from her.

"Oh really…? Are they family issues, or what?" Janna asked before she then looked at Star again, who was busy glaring at Marco and Jackie talking.

"Oh, now I get it! You're a little jealous over Marco." Janna said with a smirk as Star simply crossed her arms in protest.

"You think I like him? Come on Janna, we're just good friends!" Star said as her cheeks turned a bright red, only for Janna to smirk even wider.

"Hah! Now that's a good one Star! If you're going to lie like that, at least be good at it." Janna laughed as Star only blushed further.

"Okay, okay! Fine! I...might like him...okay? But now he's with Jackie, and he's got no time for me." Star said as her eyebrows furrowed as she turned away from Janna again.

"You know Star….the world isn't over if one guy doesn't like you. I mean, you're a pretty cool girl, there'll always be other fish in the sea." Jackie said casually.

"You mean the stuffy princes back at Mewni? I'd rather go to St. Ogo's then be in a marriage my Mom supports." Star said drily as Janna looked down.

"Trust me, Janna, I'm sure the only person who's ever going to be that way with me is Marco." Star said sadly as she looked away.

"Don't count on it…." Janna whispered as a small blush appeared on her cheeks before she wiped it away.

For a good moment, the both of them were quiet, not saying a single thing to each other.

"Well...I have to get this assignment done for Ms. Skullsnick, so I guess I'll see ya later?" Janna asked as she looked at Star.

"Uh...yeah. Thanks, Janna." Star said as she brushed some of her blonde hair behind her ear.

*xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx*

Time had flown by as 3rd and 4th period came by and passed. Finally, was it lunchtime for the students of Echo Creek.

Janna had been walking down the hallway as she saw Marco and Jackie talking with one another, and she couldn't help but smirk as she came up with another idea to tease Marco.

"Well look at the newest couple on the block…" Janna said with a smirk.

"Hey, Janna. How was the test in second period?" Jackie asked as Janna sighed,

"As confusing as life is in general." Janna shrugged as she brought out a paper reading a paper that said 62.

"I was 3 off from passing with a D-...3!" Janna whined as Marco then finally piped up.

"I mean...you could study some more Janna...Maybe you could be as smart as Mr.-" Marco said with a smirk before Janna then booped him on the nose.

"Mr...Safe Kid?" Janna said as Jackie laughed.

Marco pouted again as he crossed his shoulders, turning away from them.

"I am not safe! I'm just...cautious! And Jackie! I thought you said that you would back me up. This doesn't look like you're backing me up here." Marco sighed.

"Yeah, yeah Diaz...whatever you say." Janna said as Jackie then brought out her paper, reading a 75.

"I barely passed myself, and that was all thanks to some help from old Janna here." Jackie said with a wink to Janna.

"So...I kind of need to ask." Marco said as he looked at Janna.

"What's the deal? Oh, lemme guess….It's about Star, right?" Janna asked as Marco then nodded.

"Whoo boy...If that's the case...you two must have done something to piss her off. And maybe it has something to do with Miss Skater Girl right here." Janna said as she smirked at Jackie.

"Did I do something wrong? I mean, I've been pretty nice to her lately, right?" Jackie said as Marco nodded yes.

"Oh trust me, you've probably been a little angel, I'm sure Jackie. Though I don't think the problem is how you treat her." Janna said as Marco then sighed.

"Then why is she mad at her too then?" Marco asked as Jackie thought to herself for a moment.

"Oh come on you two. It's...REALLY obvious what's going on here." Janna said with a sigh.

Jackie and Marco just stood there as they cocked their heads in confusion at her statement.

"How is it even obvious?" Jackie asked as Janna simply pinched her forehead.

"Oh, Jesus Christ...I swear you two are made for each other. You're both equally clueless about everything." Janna said as she then bent down to open her locker.

"Which I guess is okay. After all, I'm not gonna tell you why." Janna said with a smirk as Marco nearly flipped out.

"What do you mean you won't tell us? So what, you come over just to mock us, and then hold the reason right in front of our- Oh…..Actually, that's exactly something you'd do." Marco said with a sigh as Janna continued to smirk at them.

"Exactly. You're starting to learn Diaz. Maybe one of these days you'll be able to stop me from stealing your wallet." Janna laughed.

"Which is my private property, thank you!" Marco said as he snatched it back from her.

"So...you aren't going to tell us? Even if I managed to learn about a super awesome rave happening around town….and I have a free invite?" Jackie asked with a sly smile as Janna then booped her on the nose.

"Nice try. It's tempting, but I made a promise. And I intend to keep it." Janna said as Marco rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you mean like the other times you've been honest and frank. So why start now?" Marco said as Janna then looked back, pretending to have a hurt expression.

"Marco! I am just...deeply offended that you would say that about me!" Janna said as Jackie simply crossed her arms.

"Something tells me you took that as a compliment Janna."Jackie said as Janna laughed.

"That I did Jackie, that I did." Janna said, now having Marco and Jackie laugh along with her.

At that moment, the school bell had rung, releasing the kids to their next period.

Luckily for the students at Echo Creek, 4th and 5th period were swift and quick. Soon enough, the group split off from each other, with Jackie and Marco heading towards his house, and Ferguson, Alfonso, and Janna heading to the park.

All, except for Star.

She had come home early that day and was currently standing on the patio overlooking the rest of the city.

They then walked home together, holding hands the entire way there. Star seemed to already be at home, judging by her not walking alongside them.

Star stood on the balcony of her bedroom tower, closing her eyes and feeling the cool breeze of the night come over her. She found it to be quite relaxing and calming, something she desperately needed after a day like that. The calming sounds of people talking, of a few crickets chirping...and even the sounds of the slight wind that started to pick up. Only after a few moments, did she open her eyes to see the city, and it was quite the sight. The skyscrapers looming in the distance….The lights of the cities shimmering….The beautiful evening sky…It seemed to be that the whole city was brimming with life. How she longed to visit it with Marc-

Oh wait, he would try and visit the city with Jackie instead.

"Everything's so...perfect…" Star whispered.

If only she believed in the very words she spoke. To be honest, everything felt like it was in utter chaos.

But this was only a brief respite from what would happen to the princess once Marco and Jackie arrived home.

Marco and Jackie walked through the door, being greeted by Mrs. Diaz. "Oh! Jackie! What a pleasant surprise!" She said, starting to get a tray of snacks for the two of them, before being stopped by Marco.

"Thanks, Mom!" He said as Mrs. Diaz then pinched Marco's cheek.

"I set up the table, and the drinks are ready to go!"

"Oh really? Aww, you shouldn't have…" Marco said as Mrs. Diaz hugged him, only for her to whisper in his ear.

"After all honey, I wouldn't want to mess up your big date." Mrs. Diaz teased as Marco simply blushed a violent red.

"Mom! Not in front of her, okay?" Marco said with a pout as Mrs. Diaz laughed at her son's antics.

"I'm sorry nijo. But you know I had to when you make a face like that!" Mrs. Diaz laughed as Marco sighed. He turned back to Jackie, only to see her giggling as well.

"Look, can we just go already?" Marco said as Jackie then nodded.

"Yeah, yeah Mr. Safe Kid. Besides, the sooner we hopefully get this solved, the more we can see zombie movies!" Jackie said with a smile as Marco let out an unenthusiastic "yay".

Oh, the things people do for love…

Marco went up the stairs, Jackie following close behind him. He tiptoed to Star's room and knocked on her door.

"Star…?"

Star's eyes widened and she lifted her head, happy to hear his voice again. But as she turned around to see who it was, her smile faded when she remembered about their argument earlier that morning and sighed. She felt as if it would be best to apologize for what she said earlier.

She then walked down the balcony and to the door. "Hold on!" she called as she made her way over to it. She then opened the door, her frown returning as she saw Jackie at his Marco's side.

"Oh...hi…." Star said, trying to sound happy, but it was futile to mask the venom in her voice.

"Look...Star….I'm sorry for what I said earlier. It was out of line...and you were just trying to look out for me…" Marco apologized wholeheartedly.

"And if I ever did anything to upset you, then I'm sorry-" Jackie said as

"Yeah right….Whatever Marco. Just get out of here. Have fun with JACKIE…." Star said as she turned away, a look of anger on her face as she shut the door in Marco and Jackie's faces, as she walked over to her bed and collapsed onto her pillows, sobbing uncontrollably.

She then wanted to talk to him and apologize….more than anything in the world… But she couldn't do that when SHE was around. Being around her made her feel weak as if Marco wouldn't take her seriously.

Marco's anger had bubbled again, this time making him furious at Star. She had the nerve to deny his apology? I mean, that was as genuine as it gets from him. And even Jackie apologized too!

"Fine….If you don't want to talk about it, then I'm going downstairs! Have fun sulking up there by yourself for all I care!" Marco yelled as he stomped downstairs.

"But Marco…" Jackie said softly, but Marco grabbed her hand.

"Forget it, Jackie….She obviously doesn't want to hang out with us…." Marco said as she went downstairs. Jackie then reluctantly went with him before whispering:

"See ya later Star…"

Throughout the rest of the evening, Star stayed confined to her room, hearing Marco and Jackie laughing together downstairs. Sometimes, she'd put two pillows on either side of her head to block out the noise out, but it wouldn't work. She couldn't stand it any longer, and she didn't want Marco to be mad at her anymore. So, she dried her tears, and walked out of her room and downstairs to Marco and Jackie watching a movie, cuddled up on the couch together.

It was time to stash whatever pride or negative feelings she had and resolve this.

"Uh…..I'm sorry to interrupt….but Marco, could I talk to you?...Privately?" Star asked nervously.

"Oh? So now you wanna talk?" Marco asked with a deadpanned expression as Star gripped her hair nervously.

After a few moments, Marco finally gave in.

"*Sigh*. Okay, Star…" Marco said as he rose from the couch.

"Alright, see ya in a bit. I'll tell you what you missed when you get back." Jackie smiled as she winked.

"Oh, you don't have to do that…" Marco said under his breath with a nervous smile as he followed Stars upstairs.

They then walked back up to the bathroom and Star closed the door. Marco began to stutter nervously, feeling awkward about being this close to Star.

Star rubbed her arm shyly, staring up at him. "I….uh….I just wanted to say that I'm sorry too." Star paused for a moment, trying her hardest not to cry in front of him. She looked up at the ceiling, taking a few deep breaths and blinking multiple times to stop her tears from spilling.

"I'm SO sorry Marco."

"I'm sorry that I'm always on your case, always asking you what you did with Jackie. I'm sorry that I'm so annoying, I just worry about you sometimes. I can't help it...You're my best friend…." She covered her face as she cried, wiping her tears furiously.

"Star….." Marco said as he went to hug her.

"You're not annoying…..I'm sorry too. I HAVE been pushing you away….' Marco apologized as he embraced the hug. "You're my friend too, and I'm sorry I hurt you…"

Star hugged back immediately, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close.

"I didn't mean any of those things I said this morning. You know that, right?" Star spoke into his hoodie, looking up at him and letting him go.

"I didn't even know what I was saying….I just let my anger take over….."

"Hey….It's okay! It get's the best of us, you know? Glad to see you smiling again!" Marco said, beaming a smile.

Star stared into his chocolate brown eyes silently. Those caring brown eyes of his…

The two of them, they were so close to each other. Hormones had begun to toy with Star's mind, and soon enough..her thoughts became consumed by Marco.

She wanted to tell him so badly, but she was scared of how he would react. Of what he would say, of what he would do. So, she did the next thing she had in mind, not thinking of what it could bring.

Quickly, she grabbed his shoulders and shoved her lips against his. She liked him, she really did….but Jackie was the only thing standing in her way.

"One...little kiss wouldn't hurt, right?" Star thought to herself, all her rational thinking out of the window. Though, the inner voice that said that sounded different. Almost like it was another whole new being...

"Mmmfff! Star!" Marco yelped as he broke the kiss. "What are you DOING!?" He screeched, and was about to continue but was interrupted by seeing Jackie at the doorway with a hurt expression.

"M-Marco? Why…?" Jackie said quietly.

'No wait! Jackie….I can ex-" Marco said before he was cut short.

"Oh...I see now...I was just some sideshow, wasn't I?!" She said angrily as she ran away from the scene, crying heavily.

"Jackie, wait!" Marco yelled. He then turned back to Star, with his eyes drilling into hers.

"You! Why did you do that!? You ruined everything! Just when you and I apologize and fix the mess, you come along and create a new one. Just like you always do! And now, like always, I'm left to clean it up! Like always!" Marco huffed as he went to open the door.

"No, no! Marco, wa-!" Star tried to call after him, following him, only to get the door slammed in her face.

Star then stood there in silence, sadness overwhelming her again as she walks back to her bed, curling up under the sheets and crying herself to her dreams that night.

"One little kiss wouldn't hurt, right?" Star repeated as tears fell down her face, wetting her pillow as she cried and cried.


	3. Chapter 3- Forgiveness and Regret

Chapter 3- Forgiveness and Regret

Marco ran off after Jackie, hoping to quell her worries. "Jackie, wait! Please!" Marco said as he caught up to Jackie.

"Why should I? You're just like the other's Marco…..Just using me for a good time while your smooching up some other girl!" Jackie yelled as she kept walking away.

"Look Jackie, I'm sorry!" Marco said as he grabbed Jackie's shoulder, but was quickly shrugged off.

"Hands off me! We're done Marco!" Jackie yelled as she walked off briskly.

"Jackie, wait! Just let me TALK!" Marco yelled as he grabbed her, turned her around, and kissed her deeply on her mouth.

"I know what I did was wrong, but I assure you….It meant nothing…." Marco apologized. "She forced herself onto me. I didn't even expect it at all." Marco said.

"But do you love her? Look, Marco…..You need to tell me right now. Do you love Star...as more than friends?" Jackie asked as she looked into his chocolate eyes, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Jackie...I love you…-"

"No Marco! You didn't answer my question…..Do you love Star?" Jackie asked, staring at Marco.

Marco stood there, closing his eyes as he imagined his relationship with Star. He quickly put it out of his mind, dismissing the possibility of a relationship with him. But yet….He couldn't help but feel that feeling…

"I….don't know Jackie…. I don't know…." Marco said sadly.

Jackie's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Marco.

"Well it seems you don't care about me! Fine! I get it! I hope you two are happy….." Jackie said running off.

"Jackie….." Marco whispered sadly.

Marco then looked down and clenched his fists.

" _Why did things have to get complicated now? Why did Star do this to me? Why do I keep screwing up with Jackie?!"_ Marco thought to himself.

He then walked back upstairs, collapsing into his bed, exhausted mentally and physically after the hard day. He was fast asleep in a matter of minutes.

It was quiet in the Diaz household, the sound of the clock ticking throughout the room.

"No….No...Stop!" Marco screamed as he woke up in a cold sweat. He huffed and caught his breath, wiping the sweat of his brow. He then slowly stood up and held his head, shaking it slightly with wide eyes.

"It was just a dream….right..?"

"The Diaz residence….This will be my first step to my dream of conquering this planet….By eliminating the royal family once and for all….starting with her…." Ludo cackled as he opened the front door to her house.

Star awoke in a cold sweat, sitting up in her bed, breathing heavily. She then slowed her breathing to calm herself down, and sat on the edge of her bed. She then winced again, hearing the sultry voice in her head, whispering things in her ears.

" _Don't fight the darkness Star….Take the power that is yours….."_ The voice whispered.

Star shook her head and opened the door, going down to get a glass of water for the night. She brought her wand, a bit paranoid of the dark, tiptoeing around to not wake the Diaz's. Once she made her way to the kitchen, she grabbed the a clean glass from the cabinet and filled it with some water from the faucet. She then leaned back on the counter, getting lost in her thoughts about earlier.

"Hello….Star Butterfly…." Ludo said darkly as he emerged from the darkness of the night.

"I have come to take your life…" He said as he pulled out his wand and aimed it at Star.

Star gasped and turned around quickly, pointing her wand at him quickly. She still held the glass of water in one hand.

"Oh, hold on…." She then sips the rest of the water and gently places the glass in the sink. She the holds onto her wand and getting into the proper fighting position. "There we go...Ahem...Not on my watch Ludo! Narwhal Blast!" She shouts, aiming at Ludo, but missing by just an inch.

"Take this!" Ludo said as he casted a spell at Star, but she dodged it as well. "Grrrr! Stand still why don't you!?" Ludo screamed in annoyance.

Star ran and hopped onto the living room couch, pointing her wand at Ludo once again. "Warnicorn Stampede! MEGA Narwhal Blast!" She yelled as she fired multiple spells at Ludo. However, every blast was blocked well by Ludo.

"What is your problem with me!? You have you're own wand, and all I want is the spellbook! You don't need anything from me anymore!"

"I want your life, Butterfly! The wand has foretold me of your future interruptions with my plan of world conquest!" Ludo said as he fired off another blast.

This time however, Ludo was more accurate. It grazed Star in the shoulder, making a tear in her night gown. She fell off the couch and hit her head on the coffee table.

"Ergh…" She groaned as she rubbed her head, her vision going blurry from the blow.

Marco heard the noise downstairs as he heard Star groan and Ludo's evil laugh. "*Sigh..* What now….?"

"No….Ludo!? Dang it! Hold on, I'm coming!" Marco yelled as he ran downstairs to stop Ludo from tearing up the place.

Ludo was beginning to strike again, charging his wand once more for a more brutal blast.

"Ah….My apologies Miss Butterfly...This is where our paths will diverge….You shall meet your ancestors in another world, while I shall stay and conquer this one!" He laughed evily.

Star blinked a couple of times to clear his vision, not feeling the wand in her hands.. She looked side to side to see where her wand went. She then spots it on the stairs and leaps to grab it.

"I don't think so!" She said as she blasted Ludo away from her, accidentally knocking down one of the Diaz's family portraits.

"That's gonna be hard to explain in the morning…." She mumbled to herself. She then hears Marco's bedroom door open. "Crap….he heard that….." She thought to herself.

"Star, just what is going on down here!? It's THREE in the morning!" Marco complained angrily as he stomped down the stairs.

"Graaa! You'll pay for that, you eyesore!" Ludo screamed as he casted a binding spell to trap Star in a thick layer of chains.

Star tensed up, her arms looked at her sides. She tried kicking her legs, tried moving and wiggling her arms; anything to free herself from her ghostly tomb. But she couldn't budge one bit in her web prison. She then turned her head to hear Marco's angry voice, seeing that Marco was still angry for her previous actions.

"Marco!" She called out. "Help me! Marco, please!" Star cried as she saw Marco take a fighting stance.

"Well dear boy…..I'd never think of you as a hero for a girl like that…. Not after everything she's done to you….." Ludo asked with a coy smile.

"Shut up…." Marco seethed, remembering what happened today.

"Stop it Ludo! That's enough…." Star said as she frowned and shut her eyes, trying to block out all the negative thoughts bubbling in her head.

"Let me out of this…..thing!" Star struggled as she squirmed.

"Oh dear...Am I upsetting you Star? I'm merely stating the obvious truth….The truth of how you took all the faith and trust Marco put in you, and how you grinded it under your boot…." Ludo maliciously described.

Marco could do nothing but look at the floor in shame and anger, clenching his fist and clamping his mouth shut.

"And all for your own selfish desperation for a show of Marco's affection….And I thought I was cruel…." Ludo finished.

Star was now sobbing hard now, her heart shattering into a million pieces as Ludo continued speaking.

"Ludo! Please….stop….I get it. I'm a HORRIBLE friend to him….I know that now...But you don't have to make me feel even more bad than I already do! Don't you think I'm sorry? Because I am!"

" I feel terrible….I'm so sorry…." Star looked at Marco, seeing his gaze was on the floor.

"Marco, I know you're angry with me….But I'm sorry. I truly am. I hope you can forgive me." Star was now on the verge of tears.

"Star….I…." He said before he looked down at the floor again.

"So sorry to interrupt this touching mending of friendship, but I'm afraid it's so sweet, it's sickening! It's time to end you, once and for all!" Ludo said as he shot an extremely powerful dark spell at Star to finish her off.

"Star!" Marco screamed as he ran in front of the blast to shield her from it.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl inside Star's mind. She saw the blast coming towards her, but in all honesty, she didn't care one bit. Ludo was completely right with his earlier remarks. She had always imposed on Marco, bothered him, and now I've split him and Jackie up….She deserved the death being handed to her on a silver platter.

Suddenly, she heard Marco yell her name, and she saw him get hit. Her eyes widened, seeing the laser go straight through his torso. She forced all her tears to stop, and she screamed, having a major panic attack in the place she was being held.

"Marco!" She cried out, using all her might to break free of the magical chains she was entrapped within. She hurried to his sight and slid on her knees.

"Ahahaha! Well now, isn't this just delicious? Now poor Marco is dead…..At least it means one less bodyguard to deal with…." Ludo cackled evilly as he stared at Marco's bleeding out, lifeless body.

Star gathered his limp body in her arm, shaking it violently, in a futile attempt at stirring the boy from his endless sleep. "No...no,no,no, no!" She cried softly, hugging his body and holding him close to her. "What did you do!?" She turned her head in Ludo's direction, then looked back down at her best friend.

His features...so peaceful...so unmoving….He truly was dead.

She ran her fingers over his blood soaked pajama shirt, then looked down at her hand, stained deep red with his blood.

"I'm….sorry…" She muttered before letting out a wail and a sob, burying her head into his shoulders.

Ludo's laugh pierced the ar, almost reverberating around the household.

"You've lost your reputation, your book of spells, Glossaryk, most likely your friends, and of course….you're best friend and secret crush...Marco. I believe the term to describe your status….What was it? Ah Yes!" Ludo taunted as he laughed at Marco's dead body.

"Defeat was the word I was looking for…" Ludo smiled

Star then laid Marco's body down, and stood up. She then slowly began to laugh quietly, a giggle at first. It slowly devolved into a mad laugh of the insane. Ludo was beginning to get creeped out by Star's sudden change in demeanor. His smirk had turned into a concerned frown as he stred at her.

Star turned around slowly, continuing to giggle like a mad woman. Her eyes were now a shade of bright green, and her smile was twisted into a huge deformed one. With Marco's blood splattered all over her face, making her seem even more intimidating, almost as if it was straight out of a nightmare. The hearts on her cheeks were now a grayish black color as she shook her head as her voice said angrily.

"You...just made….a HUGE mistake!"


	4. Chapter 4-Temptations of the Dark

**(Hey guys. Glad to see some people out there reading! Really warms our hearts! I'm gonna use this moment to reply to comments that people have made.** CaptainPeiper

Wow that just happened.

 **Yeah...Sorry about that. Kinda like to surprise our readers.**

jminator chapter 2 . Mar 1

Ajajajjaa I love that typo "mario", 10x better than mango!

jminator chapter 1 . Mar 1

Great! I love these kind of stories!  
I also wondering what would happen if star stared to use her powers to sabotage marco's relationship with jackie, especially after seeing "just friends".  
Anyways, hope to see more of this soon!

 **(Actually, this takes place after Just Friends, although Face the Music has yet to happen. This kinda takes after a different series of events, so it probably won't follow specific episodes lore. But thanks for the read and compliment. And lol, Mario is obviously better.)**

"You...just made...a HUGE mistake!" Star yelled as she looked down at Ludo.. She slowly approached him, cornering him in the most open part of the house. The wicked smile on her face only widened when she pointed her wand at Ludo and let loose a spell on him. He flew back from it, coughing and holding his head from the blast.

"Aaaa!" He screamed as he held his chest in pain. "Stop….please…" He begged the Mewnian Princess.

Star then bent down, stared at him in the eye, and softly said:

"I'm going to enjoy this…."

She then fired a powerful dark magic spell of flames at him. Ludo went sprawling across the room and hit the wall with a loud boom, his screeches of pain reverberating around, due to his flesh burning alive. The smoke detector went off, a green fire raging in the living room, all the while, Star laughing like a joker of some sorts. Eventually, however, she soon passed out due to exhaustion.

Star was floating in a plain of darkness, a voice speaking to her as she did.

" _They will never understand you...your pain….your suffering...they will only come to make it worse….."_ The voice spoke softly, as if it were right behind Star.

"No….that couldn't be...They'd understand what happened...They're my friends...right?" Star said sadly as she then heard another voice, someone familiar this time. She turned around to see the shadow of Marco, waiting for her there, with a coy smile on her face.

"Marco! I missed you so much!" Star cried, running up to hug Marco, but sliding through his body.

"What…..?" She asked before Marco answered blankly.

"Star...time to wake up….." Marco said.

"Star...Star. Star!" Every time he said so, it was beginning to sound more like Mrs. Diaz.

Eventually, her world was then filled with light, and as she opened her eyes to see Mr. and Mrs. Diaz, along with her best friend Janna.

"Oh my god! I thought you were…" Mrs. Diaz said as she hesitated crying and hugged Star. "I'm so glad you're okay…" She cried.

"W-What happened? All I remember is….Oh no….Marco! Where is Marco!?" Star asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes before looking around frantically.

Mr. and Mrs. Diaz stared sadly at her.

"Star…..Marco is dead...We found him...bleeding out on the floor….You were passed out in the middle of a fire." Mr. Diaz said.

Star looked at the Diaz parents, tears in her eyes, as she ran away from them. "No! This can't be real….It just can't…." Star cried as she ran down.

Janna then ran off after her best friend, eventually tracking her down to behind the hospital, her knees tucked into her body, crying her eyes out.

"Star… I'm so sorry this happened….." Janna said as she sat beside her. " But I need to know...what happened that night?" Janna asked.

"Janna...let's not talk about it...okay?" Star said with a dark look to her eyes.

"Star…..come on…..You can't just…." Janna began to say before she got shoved back hard by Star.

"I said….let it GO!" Star seethed as she stormed on home.

Janna ran off after her, only to be stopped by Star shooting a blast at her feet.

"Star…." Janna said sadly.

Star hadn't come to school for about a week straight, being hauled up in her room. Both her friends, and the Diaz's were beginning to get worried for her, urging her to move on from this. Mr. diaz said sadly that his family used to celebrate death, and how Marco was now doing greater things from above. Star merely scoffed at the lunacy of that statement and sulked once more.

Mrs. Diaz had came to school that Monday to tell the class about Marco's death, with more than a few tears falling from people's faces. Namely, from Ferguson, Alfonso, and mostly...Jackie.

She seemed to be the most affected by it. Her cool aura was now replaced with sadness, grief, and rage. This was the first time in her life that she had felt such a strong reason to hate anybody...but now she knew. She hated Star.

She hated how she treated her like she was some convicted person..

She hated how Star had kissed Marco...while they were dating.

She HATED how Marco had died….for a girl who would betray her friendship for one who actually cared.

Star finally was coming back to school that day, despite her reluctance to go. Once she arrived and placed her stuff down to sit, her classmates bombarded her with questions upon questions of what happened. But she merely shunned them away as she took her seat.

The constant buzzing of the class seemed so distant, as if it were another dream. Her senses...everything about her felt numb…..so empty….What was her life to be, without Marco at her side…? It seemed like an endless purgatory which I will never escape….

She then looked around to see a new boy in Marco's seat. He was tall, muscular, and talked as if he had an air of superiority about him. She recognized him immediately, as Marco's old personal bully…Chris...And the reason Marco was taking karate lessons. She then overheard his conversation with some other students and listened in.

"Glad that the dweeb that sat here is gone. He always was getting in my way. I guess I will be sad though...I'll be losing my weekly pay from his lunch money! Ahahaha!" He joked, having the biggest smirk on his face.

"And how he got to date Jackie?: I have no idea….Probably just some kind of prank or something….Oh well though...Still free's her up to me though…." Chris smirked as he slid over next to Jackie. "Speaking of….." Jackie then promptly scoot back with a scowl on her face.

The words seem to ring true in Star's head, a pair of words all too familiar. The boy then flashed for a moment, almost looking like Ludo with that smirk on his face, before returning to his original state. She growled deeply and pulled her wand from her backpack and slowly turned to his direction. She gripped it tightly, feeling a surge of dark magic coursing through it. At this point though, she was too angry and in grief to care.

"That's my best friend you're talking about…"

"Oh! I'm SO sorry!" He said sarcastically. "Yeah so…? What are you gonna do about it? He's dead….gone...finished...he's kicked the bucket….So I can talk about him any way I want, when I want." He smirked, annunciating his words as he talked.

"Shut. Up." Star demanded in a low voiced, her shoulders tensing as she slowly lifted her wand. Her once bright blue eyes turned green as she glared at the boy.

The other classmates got out their phones and began to start recording. Some kids started to chant the words: "Fight! Fight! Fight!", while others just laughed. Mrs. Skullsnick ahdn't returned from her "break", so as usual, she was late.

"You wanna fight me, little girl….? Well, you have some spunk….But that ain't gonna help ya now!" He said as he pushed her to the ground. "I guess you two were made for each other. You both are weak, stupid, whiny little babies that will never amount to anything in life. And that will never change. What a perfect fit, eh? Too bad he's gone…" The bully taunted.

Star grunted when she was shoved, nearly bringing down a desk with her as she bumped into a nearby wall. She then simply smiled an evil smile as she raised her wand to blast Chris in the stomach, sending him into the back of the bathroom. She then slowly approached him, and lifted her wand in the air.

Chris began to levitate off the ground, and then Star brought her wand down. Chris hit the floor with a violent slam, but was soon risen up once more, before being brought down again. This continued for another agonizing minute, before she let Chris down.

"Where's all that bravado you had a minute ago? Or are you finally starting to realize your fate? Well, it doesn't matter to me….You'll still die...ignorant or aware…." Star said as she charged her wand to blast Chris.

"P-please….stop….I beg of you….You're going to k-kill….me…." Chris begged, as he felt his strength fading quickly.

Jackie then grabbed Star's hand and looked at her sternly.

"Look Star, I know he's a jerk...and he doesn't deserve it….but cool it. He's had enough! Anymore, and you'll kill him!" Jackie pleaded with Star, looking into her green eyes.

Star then glared at Jackie and slowed down the beatings, setting the boy back on the ground. She then turned to look at jackie and turned her head.

"I'm not letting a guy like that talk about Marco that way…You shouldn't either…" Just then, Mrs. Skullsnick bust into the classroom and saw the boy on the floor, calling 911 immediately due to the massive pool of blood on the floor. All the students rushed out of the room, save for Jackie and Star.

"Hmph. I thought you cared about Marco, Jackie. I guess I was right." Star said coldly to Jackie.

"You...dare talk about how I didn't care about Marco? I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT MARCO!? You were the one who brought him into this! You were the one he sacrificed himself for!" Jackie screamed angrily at Star.

"Do you think I ASKED him to do that!?: He chose to. It wasn't my fault." Star backed away, visions of Marco's death scene flashing in her head, over and over again.

"I still don't know why he chose you…." Jackie said venomously. " I had been good to you, to Marco, and yet despite the fact that you hooked us up...despite the fact we considered each other friends….You STILL had the nerve to go behind my back to kiss him! What kind of friend does that Star?" Jackie questioned, her voice becoming louder and louder as she ranted at Star.

"And yet….he still chose you...Instead of me….The girl who actually cared for him….And now he's dead, all because...of you!" Jackie accused her.

The visions of his death became more frantic, Jackie's words piercing her heart like a dagger, but something pinged through them. The voice once again sounded in her head, almost with a calming presence against the storm of emotions.

" _Star…..Do it...destroy her….."_ A voice commanded Star, and in utter grief, listened to the voice and raised her wand to shoot Jackie with a powerful beam of green magic.

"Gaa!" Jackie screamed as she hit the wall violently, crack marks forming on it. She then looked down at her stomach, her eyes widening to see a gaping hole within it. She then hacked up a mouthful of blood, it splattering on the wall and floor.

"To think….we were friends….Were you..this envious...of what we had….?: Maybe in the end...there was nothing to want…..Ahaha…" Jackie said softly as her eyes slowly went blank, and her face unmoving.

"I….can't believe I just did that….." Star thought to herself as she lowered her wand and looked upon Jackie's dead body. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Somehow, seeing the life drain from Jackie's face brought Star such pleasure, and a craving for more of it, almost as if it was addictive as a narcotic. It was slowly driving her closer and closer to the edge of her sanity.

She ran her fingers over the broken star insignia on her wand and laughed a dark and loud laugh. The hall then rang for her to go to her next period, PE, and she had a perfect idea for how to quench her bloodthirst. She then happily skipped to PE, hoping to say hi to some of her old friends.


	5. Chapter 5- A Game

**Hope you guys are enjoying the story. I love how spot on you guys are with you're guesses.**

Comment Responses:

What if her parents find out about her behavior and lock her up in a dungeon back in Mewni removing her wand and future heir to the throne but she refuses and end up killing them.

 **Me: We'll just see about that next chapter. ;)**

Alfonso and Ferguson were in second period PE, doing some wall climbing exercises on the rock climbing wall, waiting in line and gossiping about what had happened to Lucas.

"People say that he got so messed up by Star, that he had to get immediate surgery." Ferg whispered, narrowing his eyes in fear at Star.

"But Star wouldn't hurt anybody….right? I mean, besides monsters of course." Alfonso said as he hopped onto the wall.

Star then came over with a huge smile upon her face as she watched Ferguson scale higher on the wall. She then laughed to herself, and then aimed her wand up. With a flick of her wrist, she made Alfonso let go of the hold he was gripping.

"Aaaaaahhh! Help!" He screamed as he fell off the wall, landing on the ground in front of him with a sickening crack as Star smile only widened at the sound.

"Oh god buddy! What happened?! No….no….no…" Ferguson said, tears coming down in streams as he looked at Alfonso.

Star simply rolled her eyes when no one was looking and walked over to Ferguson, kneeling down beside him. "Oh...that sucks….What a shame…." Star said sarcastically.

"Maybe you should get him to the nurse. He looks like he got injured…..pretty bad….."

Star couldn't help but giggle at the last part she said.

"Alright Star…." Ferguson said as he carried Alfonso to the nurse's office, a bit creeped out by Star's joy at Alfonso's injury.

The rest of Star's school day was filled with people avoiding her as she walked throughout the walls and classrooms, most likely scared by how she had sent Lucas to the ER Room. As she saw the fear in their eyes, her smile grew larger and larger as it continued, loving every minute of it.

Mrs. Diaz was relaxing on the couch, when they received a phone call from a teacher complaining about how Star had started and simultaneously ended a fight with a student.

"The boy is in the ER Room! Do you have any idea how the parents feel?! Their absolutely livid, along with me! And you should too!" Mrs. Skullsnick yelled angrily as she seethed.

"Oh trust me….I am. My husband and I will be sure to have a stern talk to Star Mrs. Skullsnick. Thank you….Goodbye." She then hung up the phone and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

Star unlocked the front door with her spare keys Marco gave her, and saw Mrs. and Mr. Diaz on the couch, their arms crossed and their faces downtrodden.

She hid her wand as quickly as possible, but by the look on their face, it meant she was in trouble.

"H-Hi…"

"Star Butterfly, you are in BIG trouble for today. You started a fight with a young man…..and put him in the HOSPITAL bed!" Mrs. Diaz screamed angrily.

"Star, do you have any idea how bad this looks? You could get expelled! Or go to jail!" Mr. Diaz asked, none too pleased either.

Star flinched from all the yelling, taking a few steps back and shaking her head.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, I just...it was my first day back today. It doesn't feel the same without….well, Marco. " She trailed off at the end of her sentence, narrowing her eyes and staring down at her boots.

"He was sitting in Marco's seat and saying horrible things about him. I couldn't just sit there and let him do that!" Star said quietly.

"Look….I know sweetie…." Mrs. Diaz said gently as she hugged Star. "But you know fighting is wrong. You don't fight fire with fire."

"But it feels so right….." Star said creepily as her eyes now had a slight green tint to them, smiling as the air seemed to get colder around them.

"It's just so fun to just….watch other people suffer...you know…? I guess that's how Ludo felt when he killed Marco." Star began to laugh in an ominous tone quietly.

"Star….?" Mrs. Diaz said, not liking how Star was talking.

"I wonder how it felt when he took that hit for me…? Maybe you could be my test subject? Who other, than his own mother?" Star asked with a dark smile as she approached Mrs. Diaz, wand raised at chest level.

"Star...What are you doing…? This is creeping us out…" Mrs. Diaz whimpered as she backed away from the crazed girl.

"You will not do anything to my wife Star!" Mr. Diaz said as he stepped in front of her, taking a shielding stance.

Star rolled her eyes and used her magic to slam Mr. Diaz into the wall in the back of the room.

"Quiet! You couldn't stop me even if you tried!" Star said as she re-aimed her wand at Mrs. Diaz, the distraction out of the way. She then began to conjure up the same spell that Ludo cast at Marco, all the while,smiling to herself as she looked at the fear in Mrs. Diaz's eyes with delight.

Mrs. Diaz then blasted her with the blast, making a rather large gash in her shoulder and breast.

"Star….Why are you doing this….? Where have we gone wrong?" Mrs. Diaz asked with a terrified look to her face.

"What have YOU done wrong…? Hmmm…" Star repeated the question, tilting her head and then laughing.

"You've done nothing wrong yet, so to speak. This is all just a big game for me. The first thing I've enjoyed since after Marco died…." Star said quietly at the end.

"T-This….Is just some GAME TO YOU!? Killing us...like...like…." Mr. Dia screamed, slowly getting up.

"Yes..like the demons that you are. And trust me, I'm loving every minute of it." Star said maliciously.

"You're sick Star! Sick!" Mr. Diaz shouted again.

"Oh please….Don't get ahead of yourself….I don't kill to kill...No. I will give this opportunity to lick your wounds and heal. I'll leave soon enough anyways. Take that as mercy for you two being my caretakers." Star explained as she turned around and walked up to her bedroom, slamming the door shut.


	6. Chapter 6- Betrayal and Distrust

**Wow guys, I'm really astounded here. Thank you so much for all the reviews and favorites. Each time I see it go up, a big smile just spreads on my face. I hope you guys keep enjoying! :)**

 **Chapter 6-Rebellion and Distrust**

Star was pacing back and forth in her room, her wand lying on top of her bed. Her eyes had returned to a blueish green tint, and her room had become a mess. She then stared at her hands, as if they were a rotten corpse.

"The blood on my hands…..The people I've killed….Why…? What have I done…?" Star questioned as she stared at her wand.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a pair of dimensional scissors cutting a portal and she gasped, grabbing her wand in self defense and pointing it at the portal, waiting for whoever opened it to reveal themselves.

"Star….Are you here…?" Moon asked as she stepped through the portal. "Are you okay?" Moon asked as she walked up to Star.

Star immediately lowered her wand when she saw it was her mother.

"Oh! Mom!" Star's voice trailed off nervously, giving her a small grimace. "Yeah! Um, I'm fine. So...what's up? Why are you here?"

Moon's smile then faded as she looked at star with a shameful look. "Star…..I've been hearing some very disturbing reports lately…..Lud reported dead and tortured….Lucas Reinfield receiving massive chest and head trauma, and Jackie Lynn Thomas's body reported to have bled out prior to the search…..Star...They all reported seeing you as the last person to be with them. The first may have been self defense, but the last two were far from it. These are crimes Star! Felonies! Please, explain yourself!"

Star lowered her head in regret, crossing her arms and pouting. " I wouldn't have done this if it wasn't for Marco…..Marco…" Star's demeanor then changed to a sad one.

"Star…." Moon said with a concerned look on her face as she looked into Star's blueish green eyes.

"I miss Marco so much!" She cried out, hugging herself tight. "A-and now he's gone, and I can't eat, I can't think straight, I can't function properly….knowing that it was all my fault!"

"Oh Star….." Moon bent down as she hugged Star and then whispered in her ear.

"I know things are tough right now….But you must work through them...like a princess of Mewni would…." Moon stated carefully.

Star sobbed into her shoulder and nodded, clinging onto her mother like a frightened child. " I know…..But- I-I want Marco back! I can't continue this life...this...torture….without him right beside me." She then covered her face with her hands and shut her eyes, wishing that everything that had happened was all some dream.

" _But it isn't a dream….He's dead, gone, and it's all my fault…."_ Star thought to herself. " _He's been gone for several days….And he's never coming back to me…"_ She reminded herself.

"But Star….I'm afraid that consoling you was not my only intention of coming here. Star….You have committed many recent atrocities….You're magic has gotten to powerful to contain properly….And your use of that spell….Star….Under the Order of the High Commission, hold your hands in the air!" Moon said sadly as looked at Star's tear filled eyes.

"M-Mom….? What are you doing…? I thought…" Star said quietly before she looked at her.

" You are to come quietly Star….There is much for you to answer for…" Moon said with a ping of authority.

"No…..No! I'm not coming with you Mom! Wherever I'm going to go is just going to be a jail cell!" Star screamed as she grabbed back her wand, prepared to defend herself if necessary.

"Star...Do not make this harder than it is….Please...Just give up and go home….Come with me and your father….We can right this wrong. If you don't then you'll be brandished as an enemy of state!" Moon warned Star.

"Like I already am?! I know your game here Mom! I'm just going to be another prisoner! Well I won't have it!" Star yelled as she focused her dark energy into her wand and blasted Moon, straight through her chest.

"Star….What have you done….? What have you become…?" Moon said shakingly as she began to cough up some blood. "Where have my teachings led astray? For you to lose your sense of humanity like this….." Moon cried softly as she softly caressed Star's cheek.

Her hand then fell as her eyes glazed over, no life within them anymore.

Star peeked an eye open and looked upon her lifeless mother, devoid of any breath. She sniffled, but no tears had appeared, strangely enough. There was nothing left to cry about. No emotions...no sadness….Only the feeling of emptiness accompanied Star in her sorrow.

She looked at her wand and remembered all she had caused recently. She walked over to the bathroom, and saw that still, somehow, Marco's side was cleaner than hers. She then looked into her reflection and gasped. She was covered in blood, and her eyes were now a blueish green.

'What….What's wrong with me!?" She yelled out as she threw her wand at the mirror, shattering it.

" _Nothing is wrong with you child….You are a beautiful exception to the filth around you….."_ A sultry, disembodied voice said as the mirror began to form back together again.

Star stopped her mini tantrum and looked in the direction of the self repairing mirror.

"Who said that?" She mumbled to herself, looking around her room, her voice a bit shaky. "H-Hello…?" She strangely recognized the voice she heard. It was the same one that spoke in her mind.

Suddenly then, the mirror stopped fixing itself, and the mirror revealed the image of a woman in a dark vest holding an umbrella. She had a pair of dark eyes with two black spades on her cheeks. She was leaning on the umbrella, which upon closer inspection was a wand.

"Hello Star….We have much to talk about…."


	7. Chapter 7- Camaraderie in the Dark

Chapter 7- Camaraderie in the Dark

Star's eyes widened, walking over to the mirror. She was simply dumbfounded at what laid before her.

"No way….." She muttered, a wide smile coming across her face.

"You're….oh my gosh...it's actually you!" Star cheered, before her smile faded as she looked at Eclipsa and frowned.

"Why are you here? What do we need to talk about?"

"Your future my child. Look Star…..You have been lost and unguided for some time...So I am here to give you PROPER guidance. Something your fool of a mother could not give…...You have much potential to do monumental things…." Eclipsa said as she smiled.

"I'm so confused…." Star frowned, playing with her wand nervously.

"This stuff….None of it makes any sense. All of this started happening after…..a-after Marco died. I don't know why, but when I see something, I get this strange satisfaction from it. Though sometimes I hate killing things, like before…... I think there's something wrong with me…." Star said sadly, holding her head in frustration.

"Child….Know this….It is because your heart and mind are finally accepting the true you. This was all but inevitable for you Star….Now...tell me…..How did you feel when you saw Jackie and Marco kissing or being with each other? The man you loved?" Eclipsa said, trying to get a rise out of Star.

"W-Well….I felt hurt….and jealous…..He never spent any time with me. After he would get home, he would either spend all night talking to her, or he'd leave to hang out with Jackie. Even when in those rare moments where Marco and I would be hanging out, he would just dip out, saying "Jackie needed something"!" Star yelled as her eyes flashed bright green, and her soft expression warped into an angry one.

"He'd leave me for her….It was so annoying! And whenever she'd come over to the house, he would almost pretend as if I was some ghost!"

"Good….Good….And what of Ludo? That treacherous villain that stole your book and Glossaryk? How did you feel about him?" Eclipsa asked.

Star's expression turned into pure fury as she clenched her face and gritted her teeth at the mention of his name.

"He killed Marco….."

Star wanted to do nothing more than punch a hole in the wall beside her.

"He killed him...And he laughed! He laughed at the sight of Marco's dead body...Like it was all just some kind of silly joke!" Star began to cry angry tears as her wand began to pulse with dark energy.

"I HATE Ludo…." Star gritted her teeth once more at the word 'hate'. The rest of her sympathy in her eyes had been quickly replaced with complete coldness, ice, and a never ending anger.

"Yes Star. And your feelings are completely justified to me. And what of your mother? Who stole your future and sought to make you a pawn of the kingdom? And don't forget her betrayal of you for…"the good of Mewni." Simply, it is just a pathetic excuse for her own coldness. I could never hope to imitate such uncaring feelings." Eclipsa said sadly.

"And willing to kill her daughter as well? How very cruel indeed…."

"You're right. She'd never let me do anything. She'd always hold me and shelter me, as if I was her little slave." She listened to Eclipsa and scoffed when she mentioned the incident that happened earlier.

"She, out of all people, was the last person I expected to try and do something to me. Some mother she was….." But Star's dark look turned into a smirk as she looked back at Eclipsa.

"I'm not going to let anybody stop me….Nobody will stand in my path. And I want you to help me…." Star said with a smirk.

"I'll do anything…." She bowed in respect.

"Ahahaha…..Good girl star...You're finally realizing your latent power….Now place your hand on the mirror…..I shall bestow some of my powers upon you. This shall let you open your eyes to the true nature of darkness….." Eclipsa smirked as she placed a hand on the mirror.

Star then nodded and did as she as asked, pressing her hand, matching Eclipsa's. She then closed her eyes and waited patiently, trying to feel anything.

A small part of Star thought of the consequences of this, but it was quickly drowned out by her voice of rage and sadness.

Star simply desired revenge. She wished to see the world that had given her much grief, burn before her very eyes, and her first target would be none other than Echo Creek.

Eclipsa then linked her hand with Star's and sent a large blast of dark and negative feelings and power through her body.

Star stumbled back a bit, looking at her hand with a shocked face before smirking.

"How do you feel Star?" Eclipsa asked.

She then began to laugh, her eyes opening once more, revealing them to be completely green.

"I...feel...GREAT…." Star said as she picked up her wand and studied it for a bit.

"Now…..what to do with this thing…?"

"I believe it's time to show you all I know….Now then...chant this spell my apprentice, and I shall share my vast array of dark spells with you." Eclipsa laughed until she closed her eyes. She then opened them, her irises gone as she uttered a phrase.

" _ **Die Dunkelheit kommt hervor, das Licht zieht sich zurück  
Elend ist dein Schwert  
Wissen, dein Schild"**_

"Die Dunkelheit kommt hervor, das Licht zieht sich zurück  
Elend ist dein Schwert  
Wissen, dein Schild" Star repeated, looking back and forth between her wand and Eclipsa. There was no conscious of star ringing in her head. Eclipsa's gift had already poisoned her mind beyond repair.

Star felt a strange sensation as she felt centuries of knowledge of spells and witchcraft flow into her mind.

"Now that I have given you your gifts…..I believe it is time for you to show the world what you can do Star….." Eclipsa smirked evilly.

"And that's a promise I can hold myself to.I'll prove to you that I can use the gifts you've given me to their fullest. I won't fail you Ms. Eclipsa!" Star nodded before bowing to her.

"I certainly hope you will Star…." Eclipsa whispered.

Star began to leave from the bathroom, and began packing her stuff to leave Earth. She couldn't stay longer, or else she'd be on the run as a fugitive. The less attention she garnered, the better for her.

As she grabbed her backpack, a small strip of photo's fell out of it. On it were several pictures her and Marco had taken.

"Marco…." Star whispered before she stuffed the list of photos in her pocket and grabbed her wand.


	8. Chapter 8 A Kindred Soul

It was a less than eventful day for Janna. She had gotten in trouble for skipping class, forced to serve detention that day. Most of her friends in detention weren't there that day, thus she had to spend 2 long hours of boredom alone.

She had spent the whole afternoon, trying to call up Jackie and Ferguson, but both of them wouldn't respond. It was really strange for her. She then decided to head up to Star's house, until she then heard the whoosh a few police cars driving in front of her. She saw them turn into Star's house division.

"That's near Star's house….Why are they going there…?" Janna whispered as she hid behind a bush to watch how this would play out.

*Star's POV*

"Star Butterfly! You are under arrest under charges of third degree manslaughter and physical battery on Jackie Lynn Thomas and Chris Rienfield. You are to come out with your hands up, or we will be forced to take action!" The cop with the megaphone announced.

"Oh brother! Not now…." Star sighed as she looked out her window, the blue and red lights peaking through the blinds.

She then slipped her wand into her back pocket, hidden from plain sight. She then smirked and said:

"Hmph. I guess I'll play along then."

Star then opened her door and stepped out, her hands up as she had a devious smile on her face.

"Oh no….You caught me...Darn! Well, I guess it's time to go to jail…." Star said nonchalantly and sarcastically. She looked around to see about 8 policemen and women, as well as Mrs. and Mr. Diaz with worried looks on their faces.

"Not even going to be a challenge then…." She muttered under her breath as she smirked.

"Well….Alright then. That was easier than I expected it was going to be!" The cop said with a smile as he went to reach for his handcuffs.

Star then looked at the cop with a sinister smile and grabbed her wand from her back pocket, proceeding to blast the cop in the back. The beam came out as a dark and powerful beam, piercing the cop and leaving him in a bloody pulp on the ground. Her eyes opened in shock at seeing how powerful her spells had become with the assistance of Eclipsa.

"Oh….This is going….to be FUN." She muttered, laughing evilly as she began the carnage.

She had started with two cops, and blasted them similarly to the other cop. She then took hold of one cop and threw it into another, before sending them into a pillar of green flames.

One cop had tried to strangle her, but she quickly freed herself and snapped his neck easily.

"Damn! Everyone, fall back!" The cop yelled as he and the other squadron members retreated to the truck and started to drive off.

"Awww….Don't go yet. I was only just starting to have fun…" Star said with a malevolent smile as she aimed her wand at the escaping vehicle.

The car exploded in a large cloud of green smoke as the screams of the cops ringed loud and true in Janna's ears.

The Diaz's were in a state of shock as well, however, they were unwise to not pick a hiding spot.

"That was a nice try you two….Trying to detain me...Just like my mother…." Star said angrily.

"You're….You're a monster..…." Mr. Diaz said quietly as he then was blasted by a dark blast.

"Enough of this….And now, it is your turn….Mrs. Diaz…" Star evilly grinned.

"Star...What have you become…?" Mrs. Diaz said with a hoarse voice. She limped towards Star before Star promptly kicked her away.

"I've become what I seek. Revenge…" Star said coldly as she kneeled down.

"What are you so afraid of? Never seen a murder happen?" Star said, her eyes empty and devoid of life as she did so.

Star then blasted a hole through Mrs. Diaz and skipped away.

She started to whistle a merry tune as she looked upon the destruction she caused with glee.

"Oh my god...Someone's got to stop her...I guess that has to be me…" Janna sighed as she mustered some courage and ran in front of Star.

"Star! You gotta stop this! Please!" Janna yelled as she spread her arms wide.

Star's eyes then went back to their blue color as she looked at her.

"What the...Janna? What's going on…?" Star asked with a confused expression.

"Take a look! You took out everyone here!" Janna said angrily.

"What? I….Oh god…" Star said as her eyes widened. There were charred corpses strewn about the place. Flaming police parts were scattered around. There were a few patches of grass that were incinerated.

"Did I….Do this?" Star asked in fear.

"Yes….You did…" Janna said as she looked into Star's eyes.

"No….How could I do this….? Oh my god...I must be some monst-" Star said before she was hugged by Janna.

"Star...Don't talk like that...They deserved it for betraying you like that...But why are you doing this…?" Janna asked.

"Because...of Marco. I...I..I miss him so much….I wish he were right here by my side." Star whispered as she hugged herself.

"It hurts Janna...It really does…." Star cried as her eyes turned green again.

"Save me from the pain…." Star said as she pointed her wand at Janna.

Janna looked on in absolute terror as the wand was leveled at her face.

Star's eyes then quickly flashed back to blue as she stared at Janna. She then shook her head and ran to Janna.

"Janna! Did I hurt you?" She asked, worried.

"No...Not yet at least….But where did you get those new spells Star?" Janna asked with curiosity.

"Umm...I suddenly...remembered them! Yeah, totally…" Star lied as she started to sweat a bit.

"Really Star? You're talking to the master of lies right here. I know a lie when I see one, so out with the truth." Janna said with a wry smile as she crossed her arms.

"Alright...Fine….My great-great-great-great grandmother gave them to me….Her name is Eclipsa…" Star confessed nervously.

"I want to meet her….To see a few things…" Janna said as she put a hand on Star's shoulder.

"Are you sure about that? I'm not too keen on the idea…" Star said nervously before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright. I'll be fine Star….Trust me…." Janna said with a wink as she walked towards Star's house.

"Hey, wait up!" Star called after her.

The two eventually made it up to her bedroom and closed the door.

"So….Is she like living here, or is she some kind of ghost or something?" Janna asked.

"Well, I can't really call her here per say, but she's supposed to appear in the mirror in the bathroom." Star explained.

"You mean like now?" Janna pointed out as she looked at the mirror produce the image of Eclipsa.

"Miss Eclipsa!" Star said as she smiled happily and bowed.

"Ah! Star! What a pleasant surprise! And how goes your recent mission?" She asked.

"Excellent so far ma'am. I have someone you'd like to meet." Star then brought over Janna.

"She's my best friend from school. She said she wanted to meet you." Star said with a smile as she lightly pushed Janna forward.

"So your Eclipsa right? The one who gave those dark spells to Star right?" Janna asked Eclipsa with a suspicious face.

"Yes I did. What of it, human?" Eclipse shot an intimidating glare at Janna, however, she didn't shift at all from it.

"It looks like Star's quest is going to be a dangerous one. I don't think she can handle it on her own…..Which is why I want to back her up." Janna said, much to the surprise if Star.

"Really? And why do such a thing as that?" Eclipse smirked and asked.

"Because I just can't let my friend take on the world by herself. She needs someone to back her up." Janna smiled at Star as she said so.

"Janna….Thank you…" Star said with a genuine smile as she then looked to see Eclipse with a hand on her chin.

"Interesting. You do know that the path you follow with her will bring many deaths and misfortune. Are you willing to accept all of that?" Eclipsa asked calmly.

"Yes...I am...For a friend."

"Alright then. Then let the transfer ceremony begin. It would be foolish to send you as you are. So first, I shall bestow you a power on par to Star's." Eclipsa decided as she put a hand to the mirror.

Janna then nodded her head and placed a hand parallel to Eclipsa's.

As the same to Star's ceremony, Eclipsa sent a large wave of powerful dark magic and emotions into Janna.

Janna flinched a bit as she used her unused hand to hold her head. She squinted her eyes in pain as she started to grow accustomed to her powers.

"Janna…" Star said in worry as she looked at Janna struggle to accept her new powers.

Eventually, after a few seconds, Janna took her hand off the mirror.

"How do you feel Janna?" Star asked nervously.

Janna's eyes opened, with them having a small shade of green mixed in with them as well.

"I feel….good...Amazing even…" Janna said as she raised her arm. A powerful dark blast shot out of it, making a decent sized hole in the wall in front of them.

"Well, that settles that. I sincerely hope you two do….great...things upon your adventure…" Eclipsa with glee as she vanished from the mirror, leaving behind a small black card with a spade on it.

"So...Where to next, Oh glorious leader…?" Janna asked with a wry smirk as she looked at Star.

"Well, we need to focus on gaining the power of the kingdoms. A good place to start would most likely be Pony Head's dimension." Star said as she pulled out her Dimensional Scissors.

Janna then fluidly grabbed the scissors and cut the portal, then bowing and gesturing for Star to walk through.

"After you, "milady"." Janna snickered.


	9. Chapter 9- A Web of Deceit

( **Hey guys. Thanks for all the reviews and favourites. I love how half of you are guessing the story completely right, Albeit that you guess it like two or three chapters ahead of time.**

 **So when I was creating this chapter, I hadn't really heard of King Pony Head's kingdom. And I hadn't read the SVTFOE book that came out a few weeks back. So if they describe her kingdom,and it's not this, I'll rewrite. But I took some liberty and kinda did some world building. I hope it makes sense.?)**

Chapter 9- A Web of Deceit

They were teleported a top a medium sized cliff, above the main plaza.

As the two stepped through the portal, they ended up in a bright and loud place.

Janna looked around at her surroundings in awe. The booming stereo systems towered over her. The people had goofy smiles ranging from those of the nervous, square shaped nerds, to the already intoxicated dancers and partiers.

"Wow...I guess these guys really like their parties...huh?" Janna asked as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Yeah...I guess that'll make this easier at least…" Star breathed as she looked around.

"Alright. We need the king to come out so we can take him down, so we need to cause some kind of big commotion." Janna said as she put a hand to her chin.

"That...We can do." Star said as she got on the edge of the small cliff and jumped off.

"Really? Would you at least wait for me?" Janna sighed as looked at her. She then looked at the steep hill.

"Uh...No thanks...I'll take the other way…"Janna said as she opened a dark portal and appeared in the dance floor.

Star landed in the middle of the dance floor, shocking the crowd.

She then smirked as she raised her wand and blasted the stereo system. Parts then scattered all over the crowd as they looked at her with horrified expressions.

"Good...Now that I've got your attention…." Star announced as she stood upon the rubble of the stereo.

"We need to see King Ponyhead immediately. If he doesn't show up soon…." Janna said calmly as she looked at the crowd. She then raised her hand, preparing a dark spell.

"Now don't worry. We're not going to hurt you guys just yet….But if one of you steps out of line, I don't know how well I can control me and my friend here." Janna said casually.

"Really Janna?" Star asked with an eyebrow raised.

"What..?...At least it will keep them contained for a moment…." Janna shrugged.

Back at the manor of King Ponyhead , he was floating about in a worried manner.

"Dad! Why do I have to stay here? I was just about to go out and par-" Pony head whined before being interrupted by her father.

"You are not to leave the palace. It is far too dangerous…" He warned.

"Well who is it?" Ponyhead asked with asked with a worried expression.

"It is the heir to the Butterfly family. Star is here…" King Ponyhead said with a dark face.

"Why is Star being here causing all this panic? Jeez Dad, you need to learn some socia-" Ponyhead scoffed before she was interrupted once more.

"You are not to leave this house! Under any circumstances! Understand!?" King Ponyhead boomed the last sentence as he floated out the huge doors.

Ponyhead just looked at him with a scared expression, never hearing him take that harsh tone usually.

King Ponyhead had floated down to where the commotion was heard.

"Well it's about time…." Janna sighed as she saw him approach.

"What is your business here Butterfly?" King Ponyhead asked with a calm expression as he looked down at the two.

"King Ponyhead, we have come for your surrender of your kingdom. To me…" Star said with an authoritative voice, angering the king.

"You cocky child. You truly are innocent to the ways of the world! You think you can come in here, disturb the peace, and DARE to ask for surrender!?" King Ponyhead boomed at Star and Janna. However, both seemed intent on standing their ground, not flinching one bit. His outburst even stifled a laugh from Janna.

"Who said we were asking…?" Janna said casually as she had a dangerous green glint in her eyes.

"W-What…?" King Ponyhead said in horror.

"You know...I think you are the foolish king here. Although brave, but mostly stupid. You really came out to your'e own death, especially if you don't give your kingdom over to us." Star said as she raised her wand as well.

"You...wouldn't dare…" He whispered before

he felt a dark green blast get shot through his chest.

"We would…." Janna said as she looked at his rapidly fleeting eyes.

"Phew...Well...that takes care of that…" Star sighed as she stretched her body a bit.

"Daddy!" Ponyhead screamed as she looked upon her father's near dead body.

King Ponyhead eyes fluttered open for a moment, and looked upon his daughter for the last time.

"Daughter...You must get out of here...These girls...They aren't of their sound minds...They WILL kill you….So run...Run...And don't come back…" King Ponyhead warned his Daughter before his breathing slowed and his eyes had stilled.

"Daddy…? Daddy!?" Ponyhead yelled as she tried to nuzzle him awake.

"I'm sorry…..I guess I was always refusing your orders...But I've got to refuse them one more time...I won't run…" She said with a determined face.

Ponyhead then looked up at Star and Janna, a look of absolute hatred on her face.

"You destroyed my kingdom...You killed my dad...Why?" Ponyhead fumed.

"Why you two? I thought we were friends... Friends...HELP EACH OTHER! Not stab them in the back!" Ponyhead spitted venomously at the two.

"No...I don't even care why you did it! The only thing I need to worry about...Is stopping you two!" She said as her horn began to glow.

"*Yawn*! Are you done yet with the waterworks?" Janna taunted as she had an unamused look on her face.

"You...YOU BITCH!" Ponyhead screamed as she charged at Janna. She blasted a blast at her, only to have it blocked.

She then went to stab her with her horn, before it was caught in the hand of Janna.

"I'm really starting to get tired of this. Mind if I just finish her off Star?" Janna asked.

"Sure! I don't mind. In fact, let me go get the popcorn…" Star said with a smirk as she joked around.

"F-Finish me off?" Ponyhead said with a scared voice.

Janna then looked at Ponyhead with a dark look.

"I'm going to enjoy this…." Janna said as she raised her hand and whispered an ancient spell. She then blasted a pure green flame at Ponyhead.

Ponyhead freaked out and went to blow the flames out, wincing from the pain.

"Good luck trying to put those out….They will never extinguish until they consume what they started burning…." Janna said with an evil smile.

Ponyhead threw her head back and let out a blood-curling scream. She flailed around, rolling on the floor in the vain attempt to try and put out the flame.

Her screams filled the ears of Star, a part of her enjoying the screams of her previous friend. However, in her mind, her conscience had gained more and more dominion over her mind, and she finally snapped back.

"Well...I think it's time to go...I don't want to hear anymore of this…" Star said sadly.

"Sure...Let's get a move on…" Janna said with a smile as she put a hand on Star's shoulder.

Suddenly, a dark red portal appeared in front of them. Janna looked at Star in confusion, to which Star shrugged her shoulders.

"I didn't open it…"

Suddenly, a group of people stepped out of it. First, a female demon in a golden dress, a giant floating skull, a goat in a cloak, and a man with serpents for arms and a diamond head.

"Star Butterfly, you'll have hell to pay for!" The demon screamed in anger as she drew her dimensional daggers.

"You have much to answer for, you villains!" The skull said in a booming voice.

"You'll pay for what you've done Butterfly!" The diamond man said as he raised his arms in a fighting stance.

The goat bod angrily at her.

The demon then stepped forward, a murderous look to her face.

"So this is how you use Marco's sacrifice? Going over, conquering kingdoms? Killing innocent people! Leaders! You're own mother!?" Hekapoo screamed.

"What are you even more? I guess he was right, you are just a monster!" Hekapoo said angrily.

"And the only way to repay a murder….Is your blood being spilt back!" Hekapoo said darkly as she rushed at Star, only to be blocked by Janna.

"Don't you touch her! And what would you know about Marco? Or his sacrifice!?" Janna said angrily as she clashed with Hekapoo.

"And don't call her that!" Janna yelled.

"You little…!" Hekapoo said as she reached to try and stab her, before she heard a voice in the background.

"Janna, stand down! We don't need to fight!" Star yelled.

"You're right...I have done some terrible things lately...But I'm ready to atone for them…" Star said with a sigh as she dropped her wand near Hekapoo.

"Well then..That was a bit easier than expected….Rhombulus, detain her…." Hekapoo ordered as Rhombulus created a crystal block around Star's hands.

"Wait! Are you sure about this?" Janna asked warily as she ran up to Star.

"As sure as I've ever been. I need to do this...I need to see my father again...If anyone would believe me...It's him…" Star said with a smile.

"Well don't think you're doing this alone. I'm gonna be with ya, all the way!" Janna said with a sincere smile.

"You don't have to come with me you know….I can imagine that spending your time in a cell for a few days is not the best way to spend your time…" Star warned Janna.

"And let you go through it alone? Trust me Star, it's all fine for me. As long as you're safe…." Janna reassured her.

"Thank you Janna…." Star said as Janna got a block of crystal around her hands as well.

Hekapoo then opened a portal and roughly shoved the two into a cell room.

"Wait here until I can arrange an audience with the king…" Hekapoo said angrily as she slammed the cell door shut.

Star and Janna sat in relative silence. The sense of melancholy clung to the air thickly, as if some kind of judgement day were arriving.

Eventually, 30 minutes later, Hekapoo opened the cell door and sighed.

"He says he will see you now…" Hekapoo then opened the portal and gestured for the two to step through.

The two then warily entered the room. It was the royal room. Adorned on the wall were paintings and depictions of many famous Butterfly family heroes. The painting of her mother now stood above the fireplace.

A single man was standing in front of it, holding a small goblet.

"Hello Star...My daughter…" King Butterfly said with a amorphous tone to his voice.

"Dad?" Star asked nervously, as she started to approach him.

The coldness in the room disappeared as she felt the King hug her like a loving father would.

"Dad?" Star asked with utter confusion on everyone's faves. Especially Hekapoo, who seemed to be bursting at the seems for how kind he was.

"I missed you my daughter...So...how goes it so far?" King Buttefly asked.

"You know full and well how things are doing so far…." Star sighed sadly.

"Yes...I suppose. Well Star, you know I am a man of second chances. I would like to believe everything you told me….And I will in due time. I just need you to come home with me…." King Butterfly said sadly.

Star then looked around and thought of her answer for a short time.

She went to Janna, who was sitting, admiring the portraits behind her.

"So….Should I do it Janna? I don't know...I'll be back on Mewni…" Star said sadly.

"Go for it...Star…" Janna said, faking a smile, clenching her fist.

"It's your home. Your family. You need them as they need you…" Janna replied.

"Thank you...Janna…" Star said as she hugged her.

She then turned back around and gave her answer.

"I will Dad! Thank you!" Star said with a happy grin as she gave him a hug.

"As for your friend, we can put her in a separate cell while we arrange for tomorrow." King Butterfly said with an excited tone.

"Tomorrow?" Janna asked.

"Star's coronation of course! It will be simply grand at it's core design." KB. said with a smirk.

Star originally dreaded the idea of her becoming queen, but she was beginning to accept the reality of becoming queen. Anything is better than being a fugitive….

"Well I can't wait Dad!" Star said with a smile as she skips over to Janna.

"Are you sure you'll be fine for a little while…?" Star asked Janna out of concern.

"Worry about yourself Star. Besides, how bad could the prisoners be?" Janna replied to Star with a cocky smile.

"Alright….Be careful…" Star said as she looked at Janna before turning around to her father.

"Alright Dad! I'm going to look for my room!" Star said with an innocent smile as she skipped back to the main hall.

Rhombulus had escorted Janna back to the prison cell she was previously in.

The night had been an uncomfortable one for both girls.

Star couldn't get much sleep due to all the paintings of previous Butterfly's seemingly staring down at her, as if judging her actions. She wanted to leave the room, but she advised herself against it.

"I wouldn't want to push my luck…." She told herself.

For Janna, the cell was oddly colder without anyone in it. She sat there, wide awake, thinking about what had happened that day.

She couldn't shake the feeling that something extremely bad was going to happen. But why would it?

"King Butterfly had pardoned all her crimes. So why do I still feel like this is a bad idea….?" Janna thought to herself.

Eventually however, the two were able to catch some sleep in their respective new beds.

*Later that night*

Hekapoo had had enough of the niceties of King Butterfly. What she had expected of him was a trial. What she got was a poorly made up sop story, and the picture of a father who was too soft.

She marched up to him with an angry expression and said venomously:

"River, What the hell!? What was that?"

"Ah..Hekapoo….I do adore our talks together...They get more exciting and sporting each time…" King Butterfly said with a bored expression.

"You're just going to let her go for all of this?! For the murder of multiple people in high positions of power?!" Hekapoo screeched.

"Do I intend to let her go….? A wonderful question that has an obvious answer….No…." King Butterfly droned on.

"I knew it! You were-...Wait….No? But I thought you were gonna release her?" Hekapoo asked with a confused expression.

"Do you really think I was to release her? She….She is a menace...To everything we stand for….Everything we hope to achieve…" King Butterfly said with a hidden hatred in his eyes.

"As king of Mewni, and the only true holder of the throne, I will exterminate that traitor…..If it is to be the last thing I do…"

Hekapoo looked with a surprised expression as she looked at how quickly the king had switched attitudes.

"Now listen here. I have a plan for how to rid of her….We are to bring her to the square, under the pretenses of it being a coronation. We shall detain and capture her accomplice Janna. And when the clock strikes twelve, the axe will fall upon the bareness of their necks." King Butterfly said with a cold expression. He then looked at her worried expression and said with finality.

"If I wanted to save her, which I bane to do, the people of Mewni would surely revolt. 'To save the murderer of the queen? Sacrilege!', they would say. The people want retribution Hekapoo. They want revenge. And frankly, I desire it as well." King Butterfly said with a dark expression.

"I understand….Allow me to handle this while the rest of the Council guard you. I'll catch up with you later…" Hekapoo said as she nodded. She then left the room.

"Good...Everything will be restored in Mewni…" King Butterfly said with a somber tone.

"For you...Moon….My love…" King Butterfly said as he looked up at her portrait.


	10. Chapter 10- The Guillotine

**(Woo! Two uploads in one day! Now that is progress! ;)**

 **(Hey guys. Thank you. All of you for reading this story and for being such great reviewers. Hope you guys enjoy!**

 **Btw: There's most likely gonna be 2 more arcs after this. The was up to Chapter 7. Chapter 8 started the second arc. So yeah…)**

Chapter 10- The Guillotine

Janna opened her eyes to the sounds of heels clicking. She then realized it was time to wake up.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" Janna yelled out to the approaching person.

However, the doors burst open with Hekapoo at the front. She had a scowl on her face as she grabbed Janna's arm roughly.

"Hey! Easy on the merchandise! I'll come with you…" Janna said as she shoved off Hekapoo's hand.

They both then stepped through the portal, only to find that it was on a large podium. There were a long row of seats set up all around the stage, most likely for Star's coronation and the citizens that would watch it. However, the stands were all but empty.

"Huh? Why did you take me here? Nobody's showed up yet." Janna said with a confused look to her face.

She then felt an extreme pain shoot across her head as her vision became blurry. Her senses dulled extremely and her balance swayed.

"What are you…?" Janna asked as she collapsed to the floor.

"There.….That should take care of you for a while…." Hekapoo said as she smirked as she chained her to a pole.

"*Sigh*...Is this really the best way to go about things though...All this secrecy…?" Hekapoo sighed as she then opened a portal and left Janna there.

"Now...For the…"coronation" of our fair princess Star…" Hekapoo said with a smirk as she opened another portal and left through it.

*Back at the castle*

The clock read nearly 11:50, and Star was preparing herself into a dress she despised. However, her father insisted she wear just for the occasion, and then she would be free to wear what she pleased.

"Hmph...Well...At least it's just for today. Does this dress have to be so poofy?" Star complained as she looked at the back of her dress in the mirror.

She then went over to her father, who was dressed in regal garb and a sword at his belt.

"Hey dad. Do you know where Janna is? I haven't seen her all morning…" Star said with a worried expression and

"Oh! She's already taken a seat in the balcony…." King Butterfly assured.

Star seemed to not like the uncertainty in his voice, but she disregarded it as she heard the chimes of the clock striking 12.

"Ah! I believe it is time to depart." King Butterfly smiled as he opened a portal with his pair of Dimensional Scissors.

As Star stepped through, she looked around at the crowd of people. Strangely, she would have expected the crowd to be cheering for her or something. But there was absolute silence. Their eyes remained fixated on her, as if filled with hate.

She could understand why they'd be hesitant to accept her, but she was willing to put those trepidations to rest today.

She then sat down at the throne with her father.

"Hello, fellow citizens of Mewni. We have all gathered today for a great purpose….to right the wrongs we have made. To mend the broken hearts of the people, and bring a fire back to Mewni. A fire we had lost from the recent departure of our Queen Moon." King Butterfly announced.

He then saw the Chancellor approach.

"Apply the magical barrier…." He whispered softly.

He then turned to the people of Mewni and smiled.

Under the stage, Janna heard the speech of the king. She held her head and looked at the chains binding her tightly to a pole.

"Where am I? Why am I chained up?" Janna demanded as she looked up at Hekapoo, who had her arms crossed.

"We don't need you interfering with the execution… So you've been chained here. All caught up to speed?" Hekapoo asked with a smirk.

"Execution…? You're going to KILL HER?! I thought she was pardoned for all her crimes!?" Janna yelled in surprise and anger.

"All a farce genius. It's about time you noticed. It should be getting close soon…" Hekapoo taunted with a smirk.

"You're just going to-" Janna began to yell angrily.

"Kill her? Like she killed her mother? Her best friend's crush? Like you killed your bff?" Hekapoo fired back at Janna, to which she grimaced at her.

"You…..You won't get away with this….I won't let you hurt her!" Janna said as she tried to conjure up a magic blast, but she couldn't.

"Sorry...There's a magic barrier around the stage. You won't be able to do anything magic related here." Hekapoo said.

"What!? Grrr…" Janna said as she struggled against the chain.

"Don't get any funny ideas human. Trust me...that would be a mistake on your part …" Hekapoo said as she twirled her Dimensional daggers.

Janna then stopped struggling and sat down. She then tugged at the chains harder and harder.

Rhombulus came in and said in a dark tone.

"It's time…"

Hekapoo sighed and walked over to Janna, cut her chains, and Rhombulus created a block of diamond around her hands.

*Back onstage*

"But after today, we shall move on from the past into a new era of Mewni. After the final step of Mewni's transformation." King Butterfly announced.

"Star Butterfly's execution…" He said as he turned to Star.

The crowd cheered with an outroar of hateful words and phrases all directed at Star.

"The blood o' the queen be spilt, then so will the daughter!"

"You she-devil!"

"Traitor of the crown!"

Murderer!"

The insults were hurled non stop at her as she backed up warily from the scene.

Star's eyes widened as she looked at her father. At first , she laughed it off.

"Ahaha! Good one Dad! You know, I haven't heard a joke in a while." Star laughed nervously as she stared at him.

"And you know, Star, that I'm very serious about this…." King Butterfly said as he pulled of the tarp, revealing a towering guillotine.

"You have much to answer for….Too much….And as your father and king of Mewni, I must do what is right for you and my people…." King Butterfly stated as a couple of guards held her down.

She tried to struggle from their grip, but it was far too strong. She tried to conjure up a spell, but she couldn't even use a simple one at that.

Janna then looked at the horrid scene and saw the crowd's uproar.

"Oh no…." She said in worry as she knew she was running out of time. She then elbowed Hekapoo and ran onto stage.

"Gah! That hurt!" Hekapoo said in pain, stunned for a second, but closely pursuing her.

"Star!" Janna shouted in worry as she looked at the guards lowering her head onto the guillotine.

"Janna…?" Star asked as she turned her head a tiny bit to see Janna running up to her, only to see her tackled down by Hekapoo.

"That's enough out of you!" Hekapoo said as she punched Janna in the face.

"Janna!" Star yelled in concern.

"I won't let you kill her! Let me go!" Janna yelled as she struggled in Hekapoo's fierce grip.

"Be quiet!" Hekapoo screamed as she kicked Janna in the face.

"Janna! Let her go! Now!" Star yelled in concern as she struggled against the grip of the solders.

"You bitch…. Go to hell…." Janna said as she spit in her face.

Hekapoo let out an enraged scream as she plunged her dagger into Janna's leg.

"Aaaa!" She screamed in pain as she felt a sticky red substance spill out of her leg at an alarming rate.

"Janna!" Star yelled in concern as she looked at her friend.

"I see we will have to kill her off first. Make it quick…." King Butterfly sighed as he ordered Rhombulus turned a piece of cobblestone into a sharp diamond covered shard.

Rhombulus nodded as he handed the shard to the king as he took the dagger from his hand. He walked towards Janna.

"Dad! Stop! Please!" Star yelled in horror as she saw River approach Janna with the shard.

"And why should I listen to a traitor like you? You don't have the right to command me….Or any of my people…" King Butterfly said angrily.

He then raised up the dagger, preparing to bring it down upon Janna's head.

Janna closed her eyes and anticipated the strike.

"NO!" Star screamed as her eyes had turned back to their dark green color. She then effortlessly shook off the guards holding her steady as she laughed softly.

"It's GOOD to be back…." Star said with a maddening smile as she looked at River.

"You old fool...You've really done it now….When I was willing to surrender to you and finally call it quits...You had the NERVE to try to kill me?!" Star yelled in anger.

"How ironic that you would ask for any other treatment,you murderer!" King Butterfly spat back.

"Call me what you want….Because in a few minutes...You'll be joining your "precious" wife…." Star said with a malicious smile as she raised her hand. In it swirled magic.

"How are you controlling magic? They set up a barrie-" River said as he then got blasted back by Star.

"By a weak barrier like that? I don't think so…. I should have noticed earlier….But I guess I was too naive…." Star said as she picked up River and lifted him up by his collar.

"Let him go, she witch!" Rhombulus shouted.

He blasted a stream of razor sharp diamonds at Star.

She easily dodged the attack and went up to punch Rhombulus. He flew back a bit, into the wall. She then blasted him away with a dark green ray.

Omnitraxus Prime then floated at Star and tried to punch her.

Star dodged it and then blasted him with a powerful blast.

"Come on...Give me a real challenge you three…" Star said with confidence.

Meanwhile, Janna was holding off Hekapoo. Hekapoo went to try to stab her, Janna dodging most of the strikes. Janna then tried to blast Hekapoo, but she blocked it with her daggers.

Hekapoo then multiplied herself and rushed at Janna, who was struggling to hold them all off.

"Janna!" Star yelled in worry as she looked at her friend getting hurt.

Something began to bubble inside her. She felt an extreme feeling of rage as she looked at the scene.

She then heard Eclipsa's voice in her head once more.

" _Use this spell my apprentice. This shall grant you the power you seek."_ Eclipsa said.

Star then uttered the words Eclipsa whispered to her, as she suddenly felt her body during with power. She then brought her hands together and blasted the spell at the ground.

A huge pillar of light appeared as the ground shook violently. The pillar became larger and larger, swallowing Star, Janna, Hekapoo, River, and the citizens of Mewni.

Star awoke to the whole plaza in flames. The ringing in her ears muffled the sounds of citizens screaming as they flocked out of the square.

She looked around to see Janna out cold, a several cuts on her body. She crawled over to her and shook her awake.

"Hmmm..? Star…? What happened?" Janna asked as she shook her head before looking at Star.

"Oh gosh Star...We need to get something for you. Your head…." Janna said as she tried to stand up, wincing from the pain.

Star felt her forehead, feeling a pool of blood flowing down on it.

"Don't worry about me Janna...Let's just get out of here…." Star sighed as she picked up her pair of Dimensional Scissors and opened a portal.

"Alright… " Janna said with uncertainty as she stepped through the portal.

*Back at the castle*

A red portal had opened up, revealing River and Hekapoo stepping out of it, both of them out of breath.

"There….We're safe...For now…" Hekapoo said as she stood up.

"What was that power she had…? It seemed dangerously close to Eclipsa's...Was it not just grief that motivates her?" River asked himself.

Hekapoo then walked over to him, before collapsing on the floor from exhaustion.

"In all my years as king, I thought I would never see the day that another pawn of hers would appear." River said as he held the bridge of his nose.


	11. Chapter 11- Aftermath

**( When I was writing this, I was thinking of writing one chapter without murder. I wanted to focus on the consequences of each other's actions. And thus, this chapter was born. Also, gotta give credit to robbertkellet. He gave me the idea of the next arc. So thank you. And thank all of you guys for reading. God, half of you are guessing the story right. Lol.**

 **Also, this was kind of inspired by certain things in FFX. So, look out for that. Also, I seriously recommend listening to FFX aftermath while reading this. It fits really well.**

 **Alright guys, enjoy!)**

Chapter 11- Aftermath

It was a dark, gloomy day on the outskirts of Mewni. The kingdom was in an absolute hell.

The streets were all but abandoned and barren. The people's faces hung low an evil despair. The clouds that had come had only made it seem more see the destruction of the square, to hear the death of their High Council. The people were now in a state of mass hysteria and panic. The masses were looking for someone to blame, and they turned their attention to the king.

Hekapoo's week had been anything but relaxing. She felt the stress of the people immensely along with River. She was working desperately to calm the masses and prevent riots, but social stuff had never really been her forte. She sighed as she looked at the bulletin board.

The death count from Star's little spell was nearly at a thousand, and the effects were devastating. The crops were planted near the square, the blast destroying nearly all of them in the process. Starvation had sent in upon the weak and helpless people of Mewni. The death toll was rising by the day, and King Butterfly's name sinking as it rose.

She looked at the huge stone doors that led to strategy chambers. She sighed as she grabbed the handles.

"River, I've returned….With not the best news…." Hekapoo said as she walked towards him.

River grabbed the bridge of his nose and looked at Hekapoo.

"Oh gods….What could possibly gone wrong now? I can't have another problem or I'll literally capsize…" He sighed.

"The guards are starting to get restless. Playing guard duty for you and crowd control are apparently not fun. And worth the pay or the hunger…." Hekapoo stated frankly as she got up on the desk.

"Great...Just what we needed….Can't you just straighten them out?" River asked.

"Not my call. I'm not the one they are protecting. I may be a part of the council, but I'd rather not be used for ransom." Hekapoo shrugged.

"True….*Sigh*...This was so much easier...with her around…" River said as he looked down. He then slowly started to tear up a bit and beat the table.

"River….?" Hekapoo asked with a concerned look.

"Damn it….Why couldn't I say something to her before she left!?" River yelled. He then shoved off her arm with rage.

"Leave me alone!" River said angrily.

All Hekapoo could do was stare in a strange mix of pity and disappointment as she sighed. These rage's of his were becoming more and more frequent. A servant said to spill milk on him during one was punched in the face for her error. They seemed to always happen when someone broke bad news to him. It was frankly getting a bit worrying, and many of the nobles of the land were eager to use that fact to their advantage. It had been quite the trial trying to keep them from making a move on the crown.

"As you wish, "milord"." Hekapoo said sadly. She usually only addressed him by his actual title when he entered these fits.

She then left the room and closed the door, only to hear more sobbing. She then finished closing the doors and walked down the long hallway.

"How did things get this bad….?" Hekapoo asked to herself.

*Back in the outskirts of Mewni

Star and Janna had barely made it back. From the blast and from Hekapoo, Janna had been forced to be bedridden. She took a nasty stab from Hekapoo's dimensional scissors,which was clearly on it's way to getting infected. She had hoped to quell Star's hesitation and worrying, but it was futile when she winced in pain every time she tried to get up.

The last week had been an absolute dread for Janna. She couldn't really go anywhere but occasionally to a shabby toilet. All she could do was stare at a wall when Star was away trying to find food for them. She felt weak and helpless,a feeling she all but abominated. She wanted to go and help Star, but she would always be in too much pain to assist.

As for the former Mewnian princess, she had been in a sense of distress as well. But what had plagued her was not anything physical. No, it was her own demons and her thoughts that had haunted her day and night. The other day, she heard in her dream, the voices of the people she had killed. It was punishment worse than death.

She then heard a familiar voice in her head suddenly.

"And you would always call me a murderer. A villain. Oh the hypocrisy in your society runs strong…." Ludo taunted.

"You are a disgrace to the Butterfly name Star….I can never call you my daughter again." Moon's spirit said.

"No! Please, I can change…" Star would always cry out, for some reason, feeling a desperation for forgiveness. But these spirits were anything but forgiving.

"B-Fly...That's a lie, and we all know it. You would kill her again, all for just fun? Right?" Ponyhead said with an eyebrow raised.

"But, no...I didn't mean…" Star said, the voices starting to affect her. She put her hands on her head and covered her ears.

"But you did Star. Just like how you killed me out of some petty jealousy because I was the one that won Marco's heart…" Jackie said angrily as she appeared with Marco by her side.

"Don't you get it Star…? There is no going back to the "old" days. For what you've done can never be repayed. Or forgiven….You physcopath…" Marco said with a cold hatred in his eyes.

"No! Stop it! This isn't real! Please stop! Stop!" Star yelled, but her voice was drowned out by the chorus of voices.

"Murderer…."

"Killer…"

"Traitor…"

"Monster…"

"STOP!" Star yelled as she looked around. Her surroundings had become the forest once more, with the occasional chirping of birds.

Star held her head in complete shock.

"Was that...all a dream...Or a vision?" Star asked herself before she realised that she dropped the food she was bringing to Janna.

She quickly picked it up and dusted it off. She then ran back to their small room a little faster, not wanting to be walking around this dark forest anymore than she had to.

She pushed aside the curtain and walked into the room.

"Janna….I'm back…" Star said with a somewhat exhausted expression. She then tore some bread off for her and brought some water. Both were pretty stale, but it would suffice for Janna. Besides, she was used to eating worse and fewer to get by.

"Thank you Star…" Janna said as she hugged Star. Star hugged back and then walked back to her bed and offered a hand.

"I guess it's time to see how that leg is doing…." Star said carefully.

Janna then reached for her hand and slowly slid out of bed.

"Phew...Alright….Let's do this…." Janna said as she slowly rose up from the bed. She then felt an extreme pain shot across her legs as she tried to stand up.

"Come on Janna...Just a little more…." Janna said as she finally pushed herself upright. She then weakly smiled at Star, who had a happy smile on her face.

"That's great! You are getting better! Well…-" Star said as she went to tuck Janna back in.

"No...I want to grab some more water….myself…." Janna said with a confident smile.

"But Janna, that could be too much strain for…-" Star began to say before she saw Janna raise her hand.

"Come on Star...Let me do this…I need to do this..." Janna asked Star.

Star bit her lip to see how commuted Janna was to this. She couldn't say no those eyes. Besides, she wanted to prove her strength to herself. She was right, she does need this.

"Alright Janna. You can do it!" Star said with an encouraging smile as she gave her a thumbs up.

"Thanks Star…" Janna smiled back, before bracing herself.

She then took her first step forward, and the pain once again shot up her legs. She then tried to take a second step, but her legs had failed her. She lost her balance and fell to the ground.

"Janna! No!" Star yelled as she rushed to Janna. However, before she could help her up, Janna refused it by putting a hand in her face.

"No Star...This is my thing to do….Thank you for the help...But I've gotta do this on my own…" Janna grunted with a determined expression.

"Alright Janna…." Star said with uncertainty and worry in her voice.

Janna then clawed at the bed and pushed herself into an upright position. She once again stood up, a similar pain shooting up her legs. However, she bore the pain and continued to walk towards the bucket of water. After a few minutes of excruciating pain, she picked up the bucket of water and took a drink with a victorious smile on her face.

"Finally…." Janna said with a smirk.

She then went to move back, but was about to fall again. This time however, Star was a bit faster and caught her. She then put an arm around Janna to help support her.

"I got you Janna…." She said.

"*Giggle*...You really did….give it your all...Huh?" Star asked with a small smile on her face.

"Yeah…." Janna said, neither of the girls noticing the small blushes on one another's faces.

Star then guided her back to her bed, where Janna sat up right on it.

"There...We all good?" Star asked.

"As good as I'll ever be….I think I should be back to normal in no more than 2 weeks...At least at this rate." Janna said with a big smile.

"Well….I'm gonna get some-" Star began to say before she heard a knock at the door. Both her and Janna froze in fear.

Star was wondering how anybody could know of this shack. She and Janna were pretty stealthy when it came to noise. And the soldiers stopped searching for them nearly 5 days ago. There had been some close calls, but never had they been this close.

"Was it the soldiers? Or is it someone else…?" Star thought in her head.

Star then grabbed her wand and got to the side of the door.

"Who is it? I'm not expecting any visitors.." Star said, trying to mask her voice.

"I'm just a friend…." The, presumably, male voice said outside the door.

Star peeked through the blinds and dropped her wand as She saw who was at the door.

A lizard-like man, dressed in a typical business suit, with a bored expression on her face.

"Oh my god….It's…Toffee…" Star said in fear as she backed away from the door.

*Back at Mewni Castle*

Hekapoo was currently relaxing in her chambers of the castle. The room still felt unfamiliar to her as she looked around. The clean white walls. The expansive decour….It was all just so alien to her after all this time…

Even after two weeks, it all felt strange, lounging in a building of this magnitude.

She then heard a knock at her door, and she sighed.

"Come on and state your business…." Hekapoo said with an almost dreadful bored face.

"The king asks for your audience Ms. Hekapoo. He requires your attendance now." The soldier said as he then marched of to do his rounds.

Hekapoo then opened a portal to River's room and stepped through it. The room was an absolute mess. Papers were scattered everywhere, random spills of wine were flown about the place, and there was an consistent scream that plagued the room.

Hekapoo had started tondread her meetings with River. Ever since….her….death, he's been a ticking time bomb that she has to defuse. But one of these times, she's going to cut the wrong wire….

She opened the door and did a quick bow.

"Hey River...I'm back…" His mustache was disheveled,his eyes puffy and red from crying. His robe was in complete tatters. His hair was in a frenzy and bags were under his eyes, indicating he might not have slept in a few days.

"We need to think of something….The citizens are planning a revolt as of now. Hekapoo, I need you to think of anything…" River stated.

Hekapoo put a hand to her chin and sighed.

"Hmmm…" She thought to herself.

"There's nothing we can do but hope. Our crops are down 80%. Water can't feed the public by itself. And trading is out of the option. No country would want to trade with a "mad king", as they say." Hekapoo thought to herself.

"I think...it is time we ask for help River. It may show weakness, but it'll save us the trouble…-" Hekapoo stated.

"I won't depend on the monster's resources! That would bring shame to the Butterfly household and to all of Mewni-" River said vehemently before he was interrupted by Hekapoo.

"Take a look out there, doofus. Your people are suffering, dying, and revolting. Do you really wish to kill them off with that pride of yours?" Hekapoo asked wisely.

"I...I….I do not…" River said, defeated.

"That's right. There's only one shot we have at this. We need an import of crops. And everyone doesn't trust us but….The monster kingdom…" Hekapoo stated.

"It's time to break down the barriers River…." Hekapoo said as she opened a portal.

"I'll give you some time to think about it…" Hekapoo stated.


	12. Chapter 12- Hidden Truths and Fears

Chapter 12 Hidden Truths and Fears

( **Whoo! This chapter was a doozy to write, cause I incorporated like 3 ideas from you guys. Shoutouts to jeran62 for some ideas I had this chapter. And I realized i haven't done this enough, but shoutout to of course the person who helped me read this, leah. Thanks fam. Thank you all for reading so far, and I hope you continue to read it. Please comment and critique my work. Totally open to it. Otherwise then that, enjoy the most delayed chapter of this work.**

 **PS: Arent AP Exams a Bitch?)**

Toffee dusted off his suit and looked at the two girls with a bored expression.

"No….You can't be here….I thought you were-"Star said shakily as she stared in awe.

"Dead? Well I was never dead. You could never kill me. But you did stop my plans for a while, Butterfly." Toffee said.

"Star….? Who's that?" Janna asked as she looked at the lizard man and squinted her eyes.

"Janna, get back! He's dangerous." Star said.

"I assure you, I am only here to make a business proposal to you that I think you and the girl would be most interested in." Toffee said.

Star got into a fighting stance and drew her wand.

"I don't buy it!" Star said.

"Are you really going to try and fight me? What a rude princess you've become in my time of absence. Nonetheless, it would be most unwise to fight me as you are-" Toffee began to say before Star aimed her wand at him.

"I don't care about your stupid proposal. I want you to leave this place and not to come back!" Star yelled as she blasted a shot at him.

Toffee effortlessly swatted the shot away.

"Hmph. And just when I was going to offer the solution to all your problems….." Toffee sighed.

"What do you mean….? What could you possibly do to help?" Star stared angrily at Toffee.

"Oh please little girl….You know that you have no plan. You're trapped like a rat in this dimension. King Butterfly has strengthened his hold over who or what gets in the country. You have no hope of escaping...Which is why you need me…" Toffee reasoned.

"You're bluffing...We have the dimensional scissors-" Star said.

"Hekapoo is the master of dimensional travel. The minute you activate one, you alert her to where you're going. You're lucky that blast diverted her attention from noticing you had slipped away from them." Toffee said calmly.

"And not to mention you're friend's condition. She would be in no condition to make a run from her. Or do you intend to leave her here to rot or be captured?" Toffee asked as Janna looked at the floor.

"No! I would never leave her behind….." Star said quickly.

"Then I can help with that….If you would calm down and act like the adult you've yet to be." Toffee said sharply.

Star stood there clenching her fists, completely enraged at how Toffee seemed to have a suave yet debonair attitude despite his constant insults. However, his words were starting to make sense in her head.

They couldn't leave. And eventually the royal family would find them and do who knows what?

She then lowered her wand and looked at Toffee and gritted her teeth.

"Good. At least you have the sense to realize that fighting me is futile. Now...obviously...it's going to take more than words to convince the likes of you two, which is fine for me. I like demonstrations better." Toffee said.

"So as a show of my faith, allow me to do this…" Toffee said as he raised his hand to Janna. His hand began to glow dark green, signaling he was going to cast a spell.

"What are you doin-" Star said as she tried to run in front of the blast, but she was too late as Janna got blasted.

The room turned pitch black for a but before the lights returned to their brilliant shining.

Janna closed her in anticipation for the pain to come, but such pain never came. The only feeling she felt was in her leg, feeling her muscles and bone rearrange, almost as if fixing itself.

"What the….?" Janna asked in awe as she looked at her leg. The bloody, purple gash had started disappear, turning back into her light tan skin once more.

Star looked on, frozen in fear as she looked at Janna and then back at Toffee.

"What are you….doing to her…?" Star asked.

"A girl who can't walk cannot run. A girl who cannot run, cannot fight. And a girl who cannot fight, cannot lead. Simply, if I were to work with you two, I would prefer not to hover over the human like some desperate mother bird." Toffee said.

Janna then slowly stood up, the previous pain afflicting her mysteriously disappearing. She then stretched a bit and then looked back at Toffee.

"I need you two at peak condition, simply put. It's merely a strategic move by me, but if it brings you any solace…..Then think of it as some sort of deed to establish my credibility." He said flatly.

"Why are you doing all of this? Healing me? Telling us the news of Mewni? What is your goal here?" Janna asked as she crossed her arms.

"My goal….is your goal." Toffee said with a small smirk.

"As if I would trust a monster like you….Forget it….We'll never go with you…." Star said as she reopened the door.

"You foolish girl...Did you really think I came here for a no? You do realize that it would take me just slipping a tip to the Mewnian police. They would break down these doors in an instant and kill you where you stand. You have no hope of leaving here….At least not without my help that is…." Toffee said with a smirk.

Janna looked at Star, with the princess silently nodding her head, as if to say 'Don't do it'. However, Janna's next answer shocked her.

"What are your demands?" She asked.

"Janna! What are you saying?! Are you actually considering Toffee's proposition?!" Star yelled in surprise.

"Think about it Star! We can't do anything if we're confined here. We've gotta do something, and it looks like Toffee is the only one who can and is willing to help us." Janna said.

"Plus, he could always turn us in. We don't really have a choice." Janna said.

"But he's a manipulator! A liar! He tried to KILL me!" Star said back.

"Star….He healed my leg. That's gotta be worth something…" Janna shrugged as she looked at Star.

Star stared at Janna and then back at Toffee. She scowled and put a hand to her chin as she thought to herself.

"Either live in a prison state by yourselves, or follow me and conquer it. The choice is up to the both of you." Toffee said plainly.

"Fine….." Star muttered as she crossed her arms. 'We'll work with you…." Star said as she looked at Toffee.

Toffee then reached his hand out to shake Star's and Janna's.

"Good then. Glad you made the right choice. I was beginning to fear that Eclipsa's magic had tainted not only your magic, but your ability to make rational decisions too." Toffee said.

"Now...if you two would please…." Toffee said as he whispered a spell to create a portal.

*Back at the castle*

Hekapoo was staring out the huge window pane, her face with a sorrowful look on it. It had been another stressful day trying to keep the mess she called a kingdom afloat. Their was another huge riot in the city yesterday. It eventually found it's way towards the castle walls, and sure enough….they tried to ransack it.

Most of the guards were unwilling to help in any degree. She could understand it though. That was their families and friends who were in the riot. How could they strike back?

Now the castle seemed emptier than ever, save for a few guards who were still loyal to the king.

The mood had become on edge. The nobles ceased their pining for the crown, most retreating to other dimensions out of fear of their lives. Who would want to rule a nation in such a state?

Hekapoo walked up to the stone doors again for her daily routine of trying to convince River to pass the new bill. It would be a pact for the joining of the Mewnian and monster Kingdom until Mewni could recover. In exchange, monsters were to be treated equally among all, and they could live in Mewnian cities rather than being pushed to the outskirts.

River detested the idea vehemently. At the signing conference, he would simply make no effort for communication or peace. When I or his servants disagreed, he would simply shut down.

However, the last few days have been quite different. He now simply stares out the window pane with a longing look in his bloodshot eyes. He refused to speak to anyone, but apparently Hekapoo.

"Hello River…." Hekapoo sighed as she walked in, and then looked around. To her surprise, it was clean, and River had actually dressed up today.

"What are you looking so fancy for?" Hekapoo asked with an eyebrow raised.

"The meeting with the apparent "leader of monsters" he calls himself. He si to meet us at midnight, due to some business he had beforehand." River said as he straightened out his bowtie and his beard.

Hekapoo stared in shock as she stood there, completely confused at his sudden change of heart and shift in demeanor. Was River getting better? Well, whatever it was, it kept him from that awful mood he was in earlier. She recovered and smiled a bit, happy to see that River was starting to retrieve his senses.

"If this country is to stay afloat, then I must do what I can for my people. If I have to swallow my pride to do so, then so be it." River sighed.

"Well I'm glad you finally seen what I've been saying." Hekapoo said before she turned around to look out the window again.

There seemed to be clear day for Mewni, but yet far off in the distance….she could see a giant formation of clouds signaling a great storm.

"The calm before the storm huh…? What a fine time to apply that statement…" Hekapoo sighed as she crossed her arms and huffed.

*Back with Star, Janna, and Toffee

As they stepped through the portal, they noticed that their scenery had changed. What stood before them was a massive, albeit decrepit, manor that could have easily been previously owned by nobility.

"Woah….What is this place? I've never been here before…." Star said in awe.

"This is what used to be the capital of Stohallo, the kingdom of the damned. Or monsters rather. Their king was revolutionary, wise, but staunch in his belief of respect." Toffee explained.

"What happened to him?" Janna asked warily.

"He was killed in the Great Battle of Mewni. His death spelled the end for the kingdom, and our respect for our kind. Most of the monsters seemed to be exiled to the far and remote regions off the dimension." Toffee said as he looked at the great statue of the king.

"Pathetic, is it not? To be utterly wiped out in one swift and precise move….All that sacrifice and hardship…" Toffee said.

"I'm sure that they deserved it. You pretend as if we're the demons here, but you're just as much at fault as we are. You ignored our talks of peace and denied every trade request we sent in." Star said angrily.

"So you've been reading up on Mewnian texts that aren't horribly biased? That's good to know." Toffee said with an eyebrow raised.

Janna watched in silence as she could imagine the sparks flying in between her heads.

"Well...Regardless...I brought you here for one reason and one reason alone…..You two need to get stronger." Toffee said.

"Stronger? Are you serious? I already killed my mom, who's like the strongest in Mewni. And I've killed the High Council too." Star said as she put her hands on your hips.

"Do you really think you could take an entire castle as you are now? And what if there was to be another magic barrier? What then?" Toffee questioned Star.

"Well…."

"Precisely. You don't know, do you? If you charge into Mewni now….You will never win against your father. His forces will subdue you before you get to him. Not only that, but Eclipsa will not always be there to save you or Janna." Toffee said.

Star couldn't respond with anything but a scowl.

"That is where I come in… I can hone that potential of yours into a fine warrior, more so than now. You will need guidance through your quest, and I can provide such." Toffee said.

"Hmph….Alright...Fine…" Star said as she crossed her arms as she glared at him. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Janna.

"It's okay Star. We could use all the power we could get in our next fight. It doesn't seem your dad is the type of person to allow his kingdom to be captured." Janna shrugged.

"You do have a point I guess…."Star sighed as she then stared back at Toffee.

"If you train us…..Then you better promise that you won't do anything behind our backs.." Star said as she got up in Toffee's face. However, he neither flinched nor showed any weakness.

"I never even had any plans to." Toffee said.

He then motioned them to follow as he walked down the hall to a large steel door. He then grabbed the handles and swung them open, revealing a large empty room the size of a ballroom. The temperature in here was significantly colder than in the rest of the manor, as was the decour. From the, albeit faded, but fanciful colors on the outside of the castle and in the halls, one could tell that this part of the manor had never once been a showpiece. It was quite drab, with the walls bare and such with no furniture of any kind. The only exciting thing waiting before them was a array of weapons before them. Shields, axes, greatswords, knives, staves…..If you were to name a weapon, it would surely be there.

"What is this place….? What are we doing here?" Janna asked as she looked around.

"This….Is where you two will be training for what comes ahead. This training hall has become a legend in the monster realm. It has housed many a prodigy, who would soon become great heroes, kings, or strategists. Or something of the like" Toffee remarked.

"Really?..." Star asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes….Now if you would allow me to continue…" Toffee said. Star merely huffed and put on a face of absolute uninterest.

"Now we shall begin your first exercise. To conquer your enemies that oppose you here, you must conquer the enemies within you."

Janna nodded and looked at Toffee. Star however had a wary look on her face as she clenched her wand.

"Before we start however….The human might need something besides magic to defend herself. Which is why I have brought this." Toffee said as he pulled out a sword.

The blade was in a silver luster, long and double-edged. It had a few carvings on the blade, which neither girl could decipher.

"Is there a story behind this blade?" Janna asked, curious.

"That's something for later you two. Now focus on the mission." Toffee said quickly as he turned away from the two.

"Alright…." Star said as Janna took the blade in her hands.

"Woah…." Janna said as she gave it a quick slash. While it looked heavy, it must have been made of some type of lightweight material.

"Say these words, and you shall start your trials. Remember, the minute you succumb to your fear, is the minute you lose. You will be lost into your fears and trepidations. Now...repeat after me you two…

 _Angst ist dein Feind. Angst ist dein Feind. Aber ich kontrolliere meine Angst. Es macht mich nicht weh…"_

" _Angst ist dein Feind. Angst ist dein Feind. Aber ich kontrolliere meine Angst. Es macht mich nicht weh…"_ Star and Janna repeated.

The room suddenly went dark, with Toffee disappearing in a blur, and then a ferocious wind picked up. The wind was nearly that of a tornado, as Star and Janna were swept away in the whirlwind.

Star woke up in a strange place. It looked like her bedroom back on Earth, but it was completely dark green and the room was nearly pitch black.

"Hhmmm…? Am I...Back on Earth?" Star asked.

"Wait….Where's Janna? Where's Toffee?" Star asked.

She then walked down the empty stairway, feeling reminiscent of her previous life. As she ventured down, she could hear the happy laughter of the Diaz family below.

"How...What…?" Star asked as she ran down the hallway as she looked to see all the Diaz's having a nice dinner, their faces lit with bright smiles.

"Oh hey Star! What's up! We haven't seen you in a while." Marco said as he walked up to Star for a high five.

"Happy 200th day here Star! We baked you a super duper delicious cake!" Mr. Diaz stated as he hugged Star deeply.

"So where were you Star?" Mrs. Diaz stated.

Star looked on in absolute terror as she couldn't believe what was happening. What were they doing here, alive….? And those cheerful smiles seemed to bore into her eyes, as if searching for some fault or lie.

"I really….DON'T want to talk about it…." Star said hesitantly as she started to back away from the family.

"No, really Star..Come on tell us!" Marco said with an "innocent smile".

"No! I said I'm not going to tell you!" Star yelled back.

"Star….Come on...You can trust me. Right?" Marco said as he held out his hand for her to hold.

Star looked at the hand and seemed repulsed by it. She took a closer look at and saw that it was starting to rot before her. It then took a tight grasp of her hand, which she tried to pull herself out of. Her breathing quickly increased to panic, as she tried to get out of Marco's grip.

"Get away from me!" Star screamed in fear as she then blasted Marco back. Marco flew back a bit and grunted in pain.

" **You shouldn't have done that…."** Marco said as his face was now completely rotten looking and deformed. The other Diaz's had taken on a similar appearance as they slowly approached her.

" **You killed both of us Star….How could you….?"** Mrs. Diaz wailed like a ghost in agony.

Star eyes went wide as she started to run towards the door. However, it wouldn't open for her at all. She tried to blast or kick the door down, but it wouldn't budge at all as it lay there, tempting her with the possibility of escape.

"No...no,no,no,no!" Star said as her face went lurid.

" **What a monster you have become…..I am dissapointed Star...It seems there is only one way…"** Mr. Diaz said solemnly.

" **Kill her."** Mrs. Diaz chanted.

"Please! I'm not ready!" Star said as she crouched down in the fetal position once more.

" **Of course a coward like you isn't ready….But revenge doesn't wait for it's victims….** " Marco said as he raised his other hand, it carrying a knife.

"I'm...I'm begging you Marco!" Star begged.

" **Now….DIE!"** Marco screeched evilly as he brought the knife down upon her.

"Where...am I…?" Janna asked as she looked around the landscape and saw something that made her eyes widen in fear. Echo Creek….Utterly in flames. She could hear the cries of the civilians, some burning in the fre, others trying to escape from it. The grass was all but charred, and the vegetation was deteriorating.

"Oh...my..god….What happened here…?" Janna asked as she drew her new sword and cautiously entered the school.

There were dead bodies everywhere, with puddles of blood turning the previously white halls a crimson red.

She then found the gymnasium, finding that most of the dead bodies had congregated here. The stench was thick with blood and of the dead, and the place had been completely torn up.

"This...is a massacre….Who...Who did this?" Janna said as she looked around and then pointed her sword to the sky.

"WHO DID THIS!?" Janna screamed in anger, before she heard the doors open.

Star was blown out the doors as she grunted in pain.

"Star…?" Janna asked in fear as she saw her get hurt.

Her body was covered in multiple nasty, bloody gashes across her legs and clothes. Her hair was matted in blood from the shoulder down, and her face had a black eye and multiple cuts across her face.

A hooded figure ran after her, with a long black greatsword drawn. Star tried to get up, but the figure placed his foot on her chest.

"How unfortunate….To see you become quite the disappointment...You could have done many good things Star….But you squandered them…." The figure said.

"Let me go!" Star said as she struggled to get free.

"Hmph... No last words then. Good. At least we can make this short and sweet then." The figure said as he raised his sword above Star.

"No!" Janna said as she ran towards the hooded figure, presumably a he, and struck at him with her sword. He effortlessly blocked the attempt, but Janna's furry was relentless. She kept slashing at him, but every strike was parried and countered accordingly.

"Damn it…." Janna cursed to herself as she picked herself off the ground and spat.

"You know you can't win against me Janna….You're too weak to save her….Or anyone…."

"No...I won't let you hurt her!" Janna yelled as she charged him once more, only to get blocked once more as her sword was flung into his hand. She tried a dark blast, but it was absorbed by the man.

"Give it up human. You know you only will weigh her down. Your weakness shall be your own downfall….Like so…" The figure said as he restrained her to the ground with a spell.

He then walked over to Star, who had passed out due to the serious injuries the man had inflicted upon her. Janna could do nothing to but stare as he raised the sword above Star's heart. Janna's eyes widened in fear as she looked at Star one last time., She seemed so relaxed...almost at peace…

"NOOO!" Janna screamed as Star was impaled by the sword, the sound of the steel slicing through her flesh sounding out loud and clear.

"You see….this is your fate. It is unavoidable….and those who seek to change it shall be crushed by its infinite power. Have your ignorant eyes finaly opened human…" The figure asked as he walked over to Janna.

"You….bastard! I'll make sure you're dead!" Janna screamed angrily as her eyes flared green as she drew her sword, it having a purple aura around it. She felt newfound strength in her body as she charged at the figure. Obviously, he was caught off guard by this, as he saw the tip of a blade pierce through his chest.

"Gaaahhh….Damn...How…?" The figure asked with bubbling rage. "How could I be defeated again? By a human now?" The figure asked.

Janna stared at the figure collapsed on the floor. She then heard a voice in her head.

"Well done Janna…." Toffee said.

"Huh?" Janna said with a confused look before everything around her went completely white. Her vision was blurred by the bright light, so she covered and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was standing back on the training grounds.

"Wait…? Am I back?" Janna asked Toffee as she looked around.

"It seems you were able to somehow overcome your inner demons Janna. I am most intrigued by this. Perhaps you show promise after all…" Toffee said with an arched eyebrow.

"Gee thanks coach…." Janna said sarcastically as she looked at Star then. Her face was nearly pale, and she seemed to be breathing heavily and sweating.

"What's wrong with her? Is she gonna be okay?" Janna asked as she looked at Star in worry.

"I cannot tell as of now….We will have to wait and see…" Toffee said grimly.

"NOOOOOO!" Star screeched as she shot awake in a cold sweat. She panted like she was out of breath.

"Star? Are you ok?" Janna asked as she walked over to Star.

Star started to cry as she ran out of the training hall, the steel doors closing behind her.

"Star, wait!" Janna said as she started to run after her before Toffee grabbed her gruffly.

"If she has succumbed to her emotions, she is not worth your time. Leave her be…."Toffee said darkly.

Janna huffed off his shoulder and turned to him.

"Do you really think I would abandon her for something as stupid as that? I hope you know I'm smart enough not to fall for that." Janna said angrily as she continued to run after Star.

Star ran up to the rampart of the castle, her tears flying freely from her face.

The words that the ghosts stuck with her. Was she a devil? Was she a physcopath? She certainly wasn't a hero.

"Why...Why can't things go back to the way they were….?" Star sobbed as she looked out to the night stars. But she knew that things would never change. She would still keep hurting people. Carnage was still going to happen. As long as she was alive, the world would suffer for it.

"But...what if I just...let it all go?" Star asked herself, the thought chilling her to the bone. But if she did it...if she killed herself….then that would mean that everything would go back to normal.

Janna then came running up the watch tower to see Star standing on the edge of the rampart.

"Star!" Janna screamed as she ran up to her. "Don't do it please!" Janna begged as she walked up to her.

Star shaked her head.

"Don't you get it…? If I live…..If I continue to exist...I'll be a threat to everyone around me….Even you Janna. What if I went too far and killed you, like back on Earth? If you were gone….I'd...I'd…" Star said before her speech broke into her whimpering and crying.

"Star...there's no way that you would hurt me. I know you….-" Janna said as she walked up to her.

"No you don't! Janna!" Star yelled. Janna shrank back a bit at her sudden outburst.

"I am not a hero….I'm not even a villain….I'm a mistake….A demon…." Star cried as she turned around to the edge of the rampart and said solemnly.

"The world would be a better place without me…." Star said sadly as she took a step forward off the rampart.

Janna sprung into action as she quickly grabbed Star's hand as she pulled her back onto the ground.

"Janna! Stop! I told you that I'm just a burd-"

"No you're not! You are a great friend...A smart person….And a beautiful girl…." Janna said as she blushed.

"And damn it...if you can't see it with me just talking…..Then maybe this will explain it better…." Janna said as pulled Star close and brought her lips up to her.

Star's eyes widened as she looked at Janna in surprise, before she closed them and leaned into the kiss.

"Please don't go Star...We need you….I need you…" Janna said as she smiled at Star.

Star closed her eyes in an attempt to stop herself from the endless tears falling on her face. They slid down her face rapidly as she hugged Janna tighter, sobbing into her shoulder.

"Stay with me...For a little while…" Star said quietly.

"I'm here for you Star…." Janna said as she hugged Star back tightly.

It seemed like hours as they stood there, holding each other protectively as they stared out into the night. Star's sobs turned into whimpers, and then finally...nothing, Star had cried herself to sleep in Janna's arms, her facial features relaxed with dried tear trails still lingering on her face.


	13. Chapter 13- Two Masks, Two Fates

**( Hey everyone! This chapter and the next are going to be BIG guys. I really enjoyed writing this part of the story. I really want to know what you guys think of it, so please comment down below. But seriously, during half way through the chapter, listen to this. TRUST ME. It makes the experience so much better.**

 **/DDHDx3LvA8M**

 **Not only that, but shoutouts to Immanuel, Flufflepuff123, jeran62, and of course leah for helping with the creation of this chapter.)**

Chapter 13: Two Masks, Two Fates

*A minute until the stroke of one in the morning*

The night was cool and calm. The people were all withdrawn to sleep. The dark was silent and soothing in its silence. The docks seemed to be following suit, save for the sound of the boats rocking in the water.

Hekapoo and River were waiting for the supposed leader of the monster forces, and would be the one to sign the treaty with him. However, showing up to an important meeting such as this, and being this late was uncalled for.

"It's nearly 1. When is he supposed to show up?" Hekapoo said with a bored expression.

"Don't fret just yet Hekapoo. He arrives as of now. Look!" River said as he pointed to the approaching shadow.

As the shadow stepped into the light, he looked nothing of the part of a king. He wore a ragged cloak, a mask keeping his face completely covered. His eyes were the only thing visible, which had a mysterious and enigmatic value to them. His stance however, was upright and professional, as if he were a businessman.

"So you've finally arrived, have you? Good. Then we can begin." Hekapoo stated as she gestured the two to a place to sit.

"You received our distress call a few weeks ago. The attack on Mewni by Star Butterfly left our nation crippled. We were dilapidated and weakened beyond repair." River explained.

"Yup! Our water supplies and crops were all but obliterated in her rage." Hekapoo summed up.

"And so you need a loan?...Well I hope you understand our previous agreement, and what it entails for the future of…"our kingdom"?" The man said as he pulled off his hood.

"And what of our peace treaty? Or have you forgotten?" Hekapoo said.

"Peace? That would mean to forget….Why would we forget an event so perilous to us? So detrimental to our very status and existence? ….River….Your kind amuses me in how utterly dull and greedy you can be. You're far worse than those humans." The man said as he stood up.

"Amusing? You won't be saying so in a few minutes after I-" River began to draw his sword before he heard Toffee.

"What? Kill me? Hurt me?...What could you possibly do River, in your state?" Toffee smirked.

"You knave! I'll run you through, like I should have long ago…" River said through gritted teeth.

"But...you didn't. You didn't apply common sense and believed in your own feelings. You did so when you trusted Moon to bring Star home. You trusted your feelings of hate when you imprisoned Star and seemed to kill her in a rate moment of Star's humanity. And you smashed it under your boot. And now, due to your incompetence and self loathing, your people have suffered as the price got and more steep…..How do you feel River? Do you really wish to kill me? To bring death to your hope?" Toffee demanded.

River nearly thrashed at him before Hekapoo held him back.

"Not now River! He has a point, as much as I hate to say it. Think for once River!" Hekapoo whispered into his ear.

"Do it for Moon…" She said softly.

At that moment, River calmed down and glared at Toffee.

"Fine….Then I will agree to your terms…." River said solemnly.

"Good….But I'm surprised you know the meaning of agree." Toffee taunted.

The hood revealed none other, than Toffee.

"I'm not stupid Toffee. I know what it means. The people, and I as well, no longer can stave off our hunger enough to keep our pride. We will relinquish to your terms." River said.

"Oh River, you make it seem as the end of the world. Think of it….as expanding your kingdom, per say." Toffee said calmly.

"You know very well that it may be to give you control of a territory like this." Hekapoo said darkly as she scowled at him.

"I see that my previous deeds have left much mistrust in your hearts. However, I assure that we will do our best as monsters to insure that justice will be handed out to everyone. Mewnians and Monsters, in equal spades." Toffee said as he bowed politely, infuriating Hekapoo and River even more.

"A false promise if I've ever saw one. We'll see…" Hekapoo scowled.

"And now...on to our last piece of business. Who is the next queen of Mewni?" Toffee asked.

The two stayed absolutely still.

"Oh you know. The queen is dead and the daughter is a defect. It means you must find someone else for this. And you know your options are limited." Toffee said as he looked at Hekapoo.

Hekapoo blushed a bit as she glared at Toffee.

"You can't just tell us to have a wedding! We're not some pawn for you!" Hekapoo fired back.

"Well, at this point, I think you are. You have no position in this government but being a figurehead. I imagine the shift will be difficult for you Hekapoo, but I'm sure River will fit right in. He's never had power anyway. And when you finally did River, you became mad and a drunkard. Maybe that's why you were never allowed to make these calls." Toffee shrugged his shoulders.

"Grrrr…" He growled.

"But back to the point. I need a king or queen by the end of this week. You have a total of a week and 3 days until your wedding." Toffee said authoritatively.

"That short a time!? That's not nearly enough for this!" Hekapoo seethed.

I do so surely apologize. But our people need a king and queen they can root for. Morale would be boosted, anger would cease. Face it, the people need this more than ever. You can't put it off any longer." Toffee scolded them.

"If we do not have a new king or queen by then, then the deal is off and your country will crumble to its knees in due time. And know Hekapoo, that I do not make false promises to my clients." Toffee said darkly.

"So….to the beautifully wed couple of Mewni, I bid thee farewell. May you have a darling night and week of pleasure." Toffee bowed as he left into the night with his hands behind his back.

*Back at the castle*

Janna had woken up to the soft sounds of birds chirping as she started to stir a bit. She lazily rubbed her eyes, squinting them from the sun's rays. She tried to shuffle a bit, before realizing Star cuddled on her chest. Her expression was peaceful, despite the tear marks on her face from last night. It was odd to see her so tranquil….It must be the first time in a while she's gotten good sleep. She smiled a bit before nuzzling her head.

At this, Star started to finally wake up herself, getting up and stretching a bit.

"Mmmm…?" She asked as she lifted her head.

"Ehehe...Morning sleepyhead…" Janna smirked as she got up from the ground and stretched herself a bit as well.

"Morning….?" Star asked as she looked to the sun.

"Well….We better head down to the mess hall. It's getting close to seven, and I'm starving anyways." Janna said as she started to walk a bit.

"Sure! I could use anything to eat at this rate, even a bear…" Star said as she grabbed her belly and heard a groan.

As she walked next to Janna, she lightly grasped their hands together.

"Thank you,,,for last night….It felt great to finally have someone to talk to...to cry...to just let it all out…." Star said as she blushed lightly and smiled.

Janna turned around as she had a slight blush as well.

"It's no problem Star. Whatever we face….we face together." Janna said with a determined smile.

Star nodded before she saw something strange. As Janna said those words, she could see Marco right beside her, with the same look and determined eyes as her.

"Those words….." Star thought in fear as she remembered back to Marco.

"No….That can't be...Those are just hallucinations." Star said as she shook her head.

"Star…? Are you okay?" Janna asked as she looked into Star's eyes.

"Oh yeah! Of course! Let's just move on with breakfast, okay?" Star said as she disconnected hands with Janna and walked down.

Janna frowned a bit at this, but merely shrugged at it as she walked after her to try and not miss the first day of training.

They ran down to those familiar, cold steel doors and saw Toffee waiting for them with his watch out.

"It's about time you two decided to show up. It's nearly half an hour past my designated time to begin training….*Sigh*...Well, at least you came in the first place…." Toffee sighed as he looked at the two.

"Today's exercise will put you in an ultimate battle of wits and strategy. Against the only person in the world who could possibly ever know your thoughts. That person….is you…." Toffee said as he casted forth a dark ray, creating two purple clouds of mist.

 **(From this point, I'll be referring the doppelgangers as D-Star/D-Janna** )

"Ourselves? What are you getting at here Toffee?" Janna asked as she squinted at the mist.

"It's quite simple, if you were paying attention. These are made from your very essence. They move like you, fight like you. However, they do not have the drawbacks of being human. They don't have self doubt, mental fatigue, or emotions to slow them down. Nor do they have the predictable layout or strategy of a...how would say….CPU. They still have the effect of human thinking. Address them as….What you would strive to be." Toffee explained.

The mist then began to form and reveal the shapes of two girls. After the mist faded, it left two exact copies of Star and Janna standing parallel to them.

"Your test for the week is to find a way to beat both of them effectively in under 3 minutes. If you fail, you will try again, and again, and again until you succeed. If you can't find the answer by Saturday eve, then we shall move on." Toffee said with a nod as he looked at the two.

"Are you two ready to begin?" He asked.

"Sign me up!" Janna said as she stretched her arms a bit.

"I'm ready!" Star said.

"Alright then,,,,Let the training begin." Toffee said as he snapped his fingers.

The field became covered in a blue haze, signaling that there would be no way to escape now that the match had started.

All of a sudden, the two doppelganger's heads went up as they drew their weapons. They then ran at the two with a surprising amount of speed.

"Alright, I'll distract 'em, and you go in for the kill!" Janna said as she ran towards the two.

"Got it!" She said as she charged a spell.

The clones however managed to cut Janna off, with the doppelganger Janna parrying the real one.

"Uh, uh, uh….Not so fast." It winked at Janna before it leg sweeped her and kicked her to the side. Janna grunted in pain as she flew back a bit.

Star immediately got worried at the stance of their opponents. It was with poise and aplomb, as if they knew every move they were going to make.

"Damn...Toffee did warn us…." Stra sighed as she hastily dodged a blast from D-Star.

She tried blasting Star with a few dark blasts, all of them being precisely blocked and countered.

"Oh come on...We know you're stronger and smarter than that…." D-Star taunted as she socked Star in the face, knocking her backwards into the wall.

Star and Janna slowly got up as they drew their weapons once more.

"These guys are good…." Janna panted before she ran at D-Janna, intending to catch her off guard with a fire spell. However, D-Janna anticipated this and reflected the spell back at Janna, allowing for a moment of confusion. She then ran ahead and landed the finishing blow on Janna.

She flew back and hit the wall hard, a few cracks showing.

Star and D- Star were facing off against each other, and like Janna, Star couldn't even manage to get a hit on her opponent. She blasted her with a vast array of spells, each one having no effect after being blocked or reflected back at her. She too was thrown back near the wall Janna had been hurled into.

"Grrr...There's no way….We can win…." Janna said as she started to feel a bit light headed from the damage she received earlier.

"Janna…." Star said before she too, passed out from exhaustion.

Toffee sighed as he released his spell and hold over the doppelgangers. He thought it simply amazing how quickly they fell in the face of very competent fighters and thinkers.

"This is going to be difficult….." Toffee sighed as he held the bridge of his nose in utter exhaustion at the situation.

*Back at the castle*

Despite the wonderful, sunny weather that the country of Mewni was receiving, there was still an air of anticipation and anxiety. The castle knew not whether to rejoice over the wedding, or simply despair because of the treaty that came with it. The nobles were outright furious over this, and made many threats to King River himself, most of which ignored. The king himself had become distant from her over the next days.

Hekapoo was looking out the window with her head in her hands.

'Hekapoo, you seem distressed. Can I...be of some help…?" River asked.

"Well you seem pretty damn calm about this. I'm just wondering what the future's gonna be like…" Hekapoo sighed.

"I don't know what to expect either…." River said solemnly as he walked up to Hekapoo.

"Well River….our marriage is in nearly a day! How are we going to do this….? How are we going to move forward? Are we ready for this?" Hekapoo asked as she paced about the room fervently.

"Hekapoo….let your worries go to rest. It will happen regardless of anything either of us can do. It is fated. There is nothing we can do but prepare for it.." River said surprisingly calmly.

"But i can't think about this calmly! We're about to be wed in a kingdom we can't even run!" Hekapoo screamed angrily.

"Hekapoo….I know that the times have been tough for all of us….Especially you. You've been strong this whole time, never wavering when my mind was gone. I will forever be grateful for that. Now it is my turn to take a step forward and guide the people I cherish." River said as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"This marriage that we find ourselves in….It is inevitable as well I'm afraid. I am sorry for bringing you into this mess…." River said before he felt a hug from Hekapoo.

"There's no need to apologize. It gets to everyone...It wasn't your fault. I chose this path too of my own will." Hekapoo said softly.

"But there is so much to atone for…. I will not be able to provide you with the love or the care I gave to Moon...I am sorry, but I cannot truly feel that way with anyone else…." River said sadly as he grabbed her shoulders.

"It's okay. Marriages...don't always need love, you know? All they need, is a warm hand, understanding, and determination. I understand River. When the time comes, and we've made sure the kingdom is prosperous, then maybe that will be something we can look forward to. Until then and beyond, I will stand by your side." Hekapoo said with a newfound confidence in her eyes as she grabbed his hand.

"Thank you for understanding Hekapoo. Maybe one day…." River said as he left her hand and began to walk away before kissing her on the cheek.

"Tomorrow then…." Hekapoo whispered as she blushed a bit at his kiss and cupped the cheek associated with it.

As River left down the hall, tears began to flow from Hekapoo's face.

She had played her part perfectly. As if right out of a textbook. The smile she had before now was quickly replaced with a whimpering frown as she started to cry softly.

"Why was I such an idiot to think….? Of course he would never love again….Not for me….He has a kingdom to run..." Hekapoo said sadly as she looked out the window to see a group of storm clouds now approaching ever closer.

"If it means to stop River from worrying, then I'll hide my feelings. I'll conceal my sadness, my grief. I'll play the part of the valiant queen perfectly to a T. I'll wear this mask of a smile everyday to fool him and everyone. If that is what it takes to make him and this kingdom happy, then it'll be my final gift to you Moon…" Hekapoo stated sadly as she dried her tears.

She then walked down the nearly empty halls as she kept silent.

"Damned fate...River. I thought it was something we could shape and change. Hehehe….I guess those were just my own idealistic dreams….Fate really is inevitable huh?" Hekapoo said sadly as she stared at the floor.

*That night at Toffee's mansion

Star and Janna lay exhausted once more as the phantoms seemed to give them no quarter.

"Why..? Why can't we beat them….?" Janna said as she beated the floor.

The blue haze disappeared as Toffee dispelled the barrier and the phantoms.

"I'm very disappointed in you both. You both refuse the simple process it takes to defeat them. And you call yourselves warriors?" Toffee said as he sighed at the two.

Something in Star snapped. She had enough of Toffee's verbal abuse of the two. He had put them under, in her eyes, monotonous training that hasn't helped them at all. They were to invade the castle tomorrow, and they were doing this useless training!?

"You know what!? I'm done with this! This training is absolutely worthless! It's not training us into warriors, no, you're training us like assassins." Star said angrily as she stomped up to Toffee.

"You are to kill the king, are you not? That is not a hero's deed you fool." Toffee said plainly.

"Even if we are, then you should be training our actual combat prowess against people we can handle. Not these stupid mind games you've been putting us through!" Star said angrily.

Toffee's expression darkened as he turned to Janna.

"Janna, leave our presence at once." Toffee said.

"I'm not going anywhere…" Janna said before she was teleported out of the arena.

"You ungrateful Mewnian. I am giving you a lesson in simple tactics, and you disregard it as a waste of time!" Toffee said with quelled anger.

"Do you have something against me? Are you still mad over what happened last time, when I BEAT you?" Star asked with a smirk.

"Your people have done nothing but spite me! Do you mock my very existence you whelp!? My people...are a proud race. Surely you realize for us to succumb so far, your people did something horrid." Toffee said angrily.

"If your people are so great, then how can you be such a monster?! My emotions are what give me the strength to move on. Inspiration…." Star said angrily.

"Because I was just as naive as you were…..I believed in these stupid emotions of yours…." Toffee said as he turned around.

"Do you think your father was the first to betroth your mother….?" Toffee asked.

"What…? No...You're lying…" Star said with an incredulous face.

"I used to love your mother will all my heart. We would always spend time with one another. Training, hunting monsters, you name it. We would laugh together, play together, do everything together. We were the closest of allies…. However, the cruel mistress of fate had dealt me a bad hand.

The monster kingdom had recently started a movement to rally the monsters into a single fighting force called the Resistance. Moon, as princess, was not allowed to see any monster, and our time dwindled. We started seeing each other at night, and all of our meetings were kept in secret, and thus, our relationship locked away to secret. But as the days got closer to the war, she started to not come.

She came by less and less, until she hadn't dared to come out.

The war and her putrid culture had started to change her as well. From her innocent but rambunctious person, to the "fair queen" of Mewni. Fair...but cold."

"So that's how she got like that? So that's why Glossaryk said my mother and I have more things in common…" Star said in thought.

"Moon was tasked to personally deal with the Resistance and their companies as the first and final battle of the Resistance drew near.

The night before the announcement of battle, she and I met under the cover of darkness, making sure we were not followed. She approached me with the proposal to try and stop the war, but I was too foolish and headstrong to back down then, so I denied the request. She argued back the drawbacks of the war, but I still denied her, falsely believing in some utterly mundane code of justice.

We argued all night, and eventually our harsh words turned into words of hate. No sooner had we started that our conversation had ended. She left, walking away in a huff as I heard her mutter these words.

'I see there is no convincing you then. I apologize for our failure to comply with your wants. You want a "war", but all you will receive…. is a massacre….' She warned me angrily as she walked away.

"She said no words of compassion, no longing feelings or memories. All she thought about were her PEOPLE….Of course, at the time I understood and believed it to be the good in her heart…

The next day as the battle. I had brought my troops to the valley, waiting for Mewni's army to come and fight us head on. They never came however, and all we saw were a shadow of a thousand archers and cannon fire rain down upon us from the mountains and a lone woman in her Mewberty form flying high above it."

Star looked on in fear as she knew what was going to happen next.

"Did you all make it?' She asked.

"Are we the rulers of your kingdom?" Toffee asked back, effectively silencing Star.

"Now...As I was saying…'

"My men looked in fear as they saw our 1 thousand man company be reduced to nearly 50 men. Our hopes and ambitions had died along with our men. We then heard a voice from Moon, as she shouted to us."

'You shall remember this day as the day you fear…' She said robotically. 'The day that you all shall be taught respect.'

In my fury, I rushed at her, my sickle raised as I ran at the blast, getting the brunt of it.

"I came to a few hours later to see my left arm severed, and my company completely wiped out.

Monster blood was scattered all over the field, with the stench of dead bodies heavily permeating the area.

Monsters revered it to be the second day of Mewnipendence Day in fear as they saw the death count of the monsters."

"Oh my god….The history books or my mom never told me this…..To thinks something like this happened…." . Star frowned.

"On that day, I realized that what had driven me was my emotions. Anger at my oppressors. My lack of commitment due to my love for your mother. The despair I felt for years. It was all unnecessary if I had just destroyed any emotions I had…..And so I did." Toffee said as he finished his story.

"And so, if your emotions run unhindered and completely without check,they will interrupt your train of thought and endanger yourself, as well as the people you call comrades." Toffee said with a sigh.

" Your emotions are what will get you killed, the people you help killed, and in the end, Janna killed." Toffee said with a bored expression.

"Janna? You...know?" Star said with a surprised expression.

"It was quite obvious that you two were smitten with one another. But don't you care about her? Her safety? What would happen if she died?" Toffee asked with an eyebrow raised.

"That wouldn't happen! We've got each others backs-" Star began to say before she was interrupted by Toffee.

"Like Marco, I presume?" Toffee asked with a smirk.

Star then backed away from Toffee a bit. She felt the oh so familiar sense of dread and agony in her heart. Marco had died because of her incompetence. What if she did the same to Janna? She couldn't imagine the heart-wrenching despair she would feel if that happened.

Maybe...this is she would do...for her sake...

"You know what you must do now. To keep this mission from failing, you must have to sever the emotional connections. Sever the chains that bind you. Whether they may be dead or alive. Do you want to conquer this kingdom and make sure you keep your friends safe?" He asked.

Star thought to herself for a bit of time before she gave him her final answer.

*With Janna*

She had been resting after tending to her sword arm.

"Those doppelgangers sure do pack a bunch…." She sighed as she rubbed her arm. She then heard a small knock at her door.

"Who is it?" She asked the voice, which it answered with Star.

"Oh! Come on in!" Janna said as she smiled and opened the door for her.

Star had a somber expression on her face, with her fists clenched and she kept looking at the ground, as if refusing to meet my eyes.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about Star?" Janna asked as she looked a her.

Star looked at Janna back, once again seeing the distant ghost of Marco plaguing her vision. She tried to shake her head to wish him away, but it seemed to have absolutely no effect.

"Janna….I can't do this…" Star began to cry.

"Star….What's wrong?" Janna said as she got up from her bed and looked at Star with a concerned expression.

"I just can't do this with you anymore Janna...I just can't…" Star said sadly.

"No Janna! I mean it! It's over!" Star said in complete tears.

"Wait Star! What are you talking about? Did I do something wrong?" Janna asked, genuinely confused.

"Oh gods no..It could never be you…..But, I just can't be around you anymore…." Star as she turned away from her.

"Star...Am I...that terrible that you don't even want to see me….? If I didn't do anything, then why?" Janna asked as she looked at Star as a tear came to her eye.

"I'm sorry Janna. This is my decision to make. I don't want to get you any more involved than you have to…." Star said as she left for the door as she walked up to it.

"Star! Please wait!" Janna said as she reached for Star's hand. However, she slapped it away angrily as she looked at Jana.

"It's over Janna…" Star said as she stared at Janna with her now glowing green eyes...the same ones that she wore when she she shoved Janna back on Earth.

"Everytime I see you...I see him…." Star said desperately. " Please understa-" Star said softly before Janna looked back at her.

"You would do it for him. You still want to see him, more than anything…. Don't you?" Janna asked darkly.

"Janna….?" Star asked quietly.

"Forget it Star, you're right…..Besides...stupid things like love would just get in the way of tomorrow right? Well...if you'll excuse me…." Janna grunted through clenched teeth as she slammed the door in Star's face.

Janna stood there for a moment before tears flowed from her face freely. She clutched her sword and swung it at the bed, the wall, anything to release her rage, to make them feel as hurt she was.

"Of course….Why would she ever love me…? I was just a nuisance….Nothing more to her….I was just a replacement for Marco…." Janna said sadly as she punched her bed.

"Just when I thought someone actually cared about me….Why was I so naive to actually believe that it could happen at the moment…?" Janna said as she dried her tears.

Star ran down the hallway, trying to wipe away her tears and finally stopped at the fireplace. The flames had burned brilliantly with a orange glow around it as Star stared at it, almost transfixed by it.

"Tomorrow's the big day huh...?" Star said as she looked the flame and then looked down at the floor.

"There can't be any mistakes...I will be coming for you...Dad..." She said as she looked at her wand.


	14. Chapter 14- The Siege

Chapter 14- The Siege

 **(Oh my gosh…. The climax of the Mewni arc. Here we go boys. This chapter literally is the longest chapter, and holy crap. Combined with 2 EOC's, it made it nearly impossible to work on it. But I did, it's here, and I hope you guys enjoy it).**

The night had come and passed, and the ay appeared in it's place. However, in a stark contrast to the rest of the week...the sky was covered in a boring gray. Storm clouds had gathered across the sky, and rightfully so. Today was the beginning of their most daring and dangerous mission. The mood was tense already in her room, and she couldn't imagine how Toffee would be.

Star had awoken in her room, and expectantly, Janna had not returned to the her bed on the other side of the room. The gravity of Star's choice now truly fell upon her as she lay alone in her bed, thinking if this path would be the best. Just pushing her away like that….? She just hoped that she just doesn't go on the mission….The last thing she needed is something happening to her because of something she could control...She would never forgive herself…

"What time is it…?" Star asked herself as she heard the birds chirping. At this rate, it must have been nearly 7 in the morning when she woke up. She shuffled out of the bed and landed at her feet, it touching the cold stone floor.

She quickly went to the bathroom to make herself decent. After a few minutes of checking her appearance and cleaning the tear stains off her face, she stepped outside and opened the doors to the briefing room.

There, Janna was already leaning against a wall, her sword in the sheath strapped to her back. As Star passed her, she could see Janna scowl and turn away from her. As she expected, Janna would take time to heal from this, but at least it meant she was safe from her….from all of this…

Toffee was already present as well, his hands folded, covering his mouth as he stared down Star with his usual bored expression.

Star then walked up to a chair and took a seat quietly.

"Good...Now that everyone has shown up...We can begin…." Toffee said calmly.

"Today is the final test of your abilities. Today is the day you will take back Mewni from this system of cruel aristocracy…"

"From one dictator to the next…." Star mumbled under her breath.

"This day decides whether your training has been completely worth it. The years, the suffering, the tears and hard work will be paid back tenfold. The sweet taste of revenge shall finally be quenched by this great battle…." He announced.

"But before we can even attempt the deed, we've of need of a strategy." Toffee explained.

"And you don't have one?" Janna asked, opening her eyes and speaking up for the first time today.

"On the contrary earthling, I do…..The first part begins with a diversion…."

"I have gathered a group of monsters to which I will state as my ambassadors. They will then send 3 parties of monsters to distract the guards in the front and ramparts of the castle, as well as the courtyard as well."

"But won't that just arise suspicion and caution in everybody? That would make it even harder to sneak in!" Star complained.

"And that is where you are wrong Butterfly. Your people seem to have such a stalwart force in physical means. However, their defense of teleportation will be close to none, save for the….*Ahem*, Queen of Mewni Hekapoo. She would instantly notice you, even if you were to call a dark portal to warp you inside. But….if my monsters can divert her attention away from you two, then you would easily be able to sneak in." Toffee explained.

"We could take care of what guards are left, and then get the jump on my dad and Hekapoo…." Star said in amazement.

"I hate to admit it, but that's a deceptively good plan…But what about the chance if the monster's betray us…." Star asked.

"Simple. Kill ALL of them." Toffee said darkly as Star and Janna eye's went wide with confusion.

"Wait…? I am definitely not the biggest monster fan, but that would be essentially killing off your own citizens!" Star yelled.

"What of it?" Toffee asked with an eerie calm.

Janna clenched her fists as Star backed away a bit.

"Oh come now you two….You know there are bound to be casualties for the winning side. Think of it as this. What if I permitted them to live, despite the fact they resisted me? Well, that would be a future opponent for me to deal with. I detest those who adopt such policies as mercy or forgiveness. It simply has no purpose. It has no logic, just pointless emotion."

"If the monster's live and are faithful, then they were good allies, and those I can depend on. If they die in combat, then they have died for a cause worth fighting for. All of these things have some logic to them."

"But if they betray me….and seek to undermine what we have worked for….Then there is no reason to allow such….filth...to live."

"And don't act of a saint you two. You know very well what you've done to others….to your friends….-" Toffee said before Star had had enough.

"And you know very well to not to bring that up!" Star screamed as her eyes burned with a bright green hue.

"Still ever the challenging one, are you Butterfly?" Toffee said.

"Shut up!" Star yelled angrily as she got off her chair and banged her hand on the table.

Star looked to Janna for support, finding nothing but a cold stare. She sank back into her seat, mumbling curses at Toffee's name the whole time.

"There we go...You've finally realized the stakes of this mission…..Now, to recover from your little outburst….

"Once the monsters distract their attention, you are to infiltrate the actual wedding and eliminate the queen and king. Do NOT alert the guard to your presence, or the two could become wary and bolster their defenses." Toffee warned the two.

"Is that understood you two?" Toffee asked the duo, to which both replied yes.

Toffee then opened a dark portal to the courtyard as he turned around.

"I will join you in a bit. I've….some business to attend to…" Toffee said as he clenched his fist.

*Back at the castle, in the cathedral*

"Miss Hekapoo…..It is time…" The maid answered as she knocked on Hekapoo's door.

"Of course….." Hekapoo said sadly as she finished putting on her new dress. Instead of the golden dress she had ordained throughout her life, she now wore a white, laced one, designed in a floral design. Her hair however remained the same by her request. She remembered yesterday's conversation with her stylist.

"You can change my dress,but I'm not powdering my face or putting my hair in a bun.", she said to her stylist as River let out a hearty laugh at her expense and agreed.

Hekapoo was far from the one to desire such a fanciful dress and occasion. She liked even less that the people had grown anxious for the wedding, blissfully unaware of what would happen to their country and pride.

She felt like a nervous wreck. Her hands were clammy and sweaty, her eyes a bit bloodshot with bags under them, and her demeanor was ultimately paranoid and watchful.

She had tried so hard to wash the dreariness out of her mind as she kept her thoughts on other things.

The weather…? Too dreary.

The guards? Or I guess…...what's left of them to think about.

The people…? She couldn't help but go back to River's speech from last night as she looked out the window. And the last thing she needed to be reminded of was the deal they had with Toffee.

"Miss Hekapoo...Please.." The woman asked a bit more loudly to garner her attention.

"Oh, Yes! Thank you." Hekapoo said as the servant bowed at her when she left.

"Please, don't bow. You may be my maid, but you're still an equal in my eyes." She said.

"You are a queen now Miss Hekapoo. I'm afraid that it is going to be quite customary. However, I do appreciate the thought." The maid said.

Hekapoo then looked surprised at her answer, before realizing that she had a point. After today, she would have the official title of Queen of Mewni.

"You're right….Thank you Merida." Hekapoo said as she lightly frowned.

She nodded, taking her hand and leaving the room with Hekapoo, going on ahead to the waiting area for the aisle.

*With River in his waiting aisle*

River was waiting in his seat himself before he felt a tap upon his shoulder. He then got up and began to pace about nervously, before he saw a dark portal appear behind him. As he turned around, he scowled as he saw that it was Toffee.

"Hello River? How go the celebrations?" Toffee asked.

"What do you want?" He seethed.

"My word River, this is your wedding. I would have expected you to enjoy it. But it seems the years have done nothing to temper your selfishness."Toffee taunted.

"It's not a wedding either of us want! And you know that heathen!" Moon yelled.

"But it is a wedding you shall receive. Know that if you refuse your lives and kingdom are on the line...But I wouldn't expect you ,of all people, to get that River."

"I refuse to-" River began to yell before he was interrupted.

"You know what? You're completely right River. Leaving your country to rot and sullying the….."Butterfly name"...worse than Star ever could. All because you don't any power." Toffee smirked as he looked at River's now red face.

River then had enough as he went to strike at Toffee.

Toffee easily dodged the strike and socked River in the gut. River fell to the floor in pain, holding his stomach.

River then drew the blade he kept at his side and pointed it at Toffee.

"Must you be so dense?" Toffee said as he parried the strike by catching it in his hands. He then disarmed River as he punched him in the face.

"Just stop River….You cannot win…" Toffee said as he kicked River in the chest.

He then raised a dark blast at River's head, having an angry look on his face.

"I should end you….Right here..Right now...I can't stand to look upon someone so pathetic. How could she ever love you…?"

River then slowly lowered his hand as he smiled darkly.

"But no….I think I shall let you yet live…

I want to see you suffer and kneel before me….And that won't happen if I kill you….Do you remember what you said to me when I came by that stormy morning, begging for Moon to come out after the bloody battle? You said…..

'Leave Butterfly affairs to Butterfly's.'

Right, River…..? Well, I think that can apply here perfectly…."Toffee smirked as he opened a dark portal and stepped through it.

River then slowly got up and dusted himself off. Luckily, no blood had gotten on his outfit as he straightened himself out and calmed himself.

River then walked up the aisle, his hands clasped behind his back as he stopped at the altar.

"Sire! You look a bit worried….Did something happen sire?" One of the grooms asked. He nodded a simple no and reassured him that he was perfectly fine.

The priest then motioned to Hekapoo, who was patiently waiting for her signal.

"Please come forward Mrs. Hekapoo…" Her maid whispered to her.

Hekapoo stepped forward, her hands in her lap as she walked forward towards River.

His smile slowly widened as she came forward and took his hand. They then faced each other and looked into one another's eyes.

Hekapoo could see into River's eyes and saw many things. Happiness...Relief...Determination. Contempt….Rage…. She saw it all.

Would River be able to see into her heart, to see what she feels? She perished the thought in every sense. What would he find there…?

"We are gathered here today for the joining of our King Moon, and our new Queen of Mewni, Hekapoo. And will the guidance of our Mewnian ancestors watch over the two, as they lead our kingdom into a new prosperous time." The priest said as he laid his hands out.

"You may now state your vows for one another. Remember that these are from deep within your hearts."

"River…..I know that I could never be the queen you need, or want. But I will try my best to live up to the title to the best of my ability." Hekapoo said.

"Hekapoo….You have always been a source of inspiration to me. Strong, confident, and joyful nonetheless. I promise you to try MY best to bring happiness to you and our kingdom." River stated.

"Wise and compassionate words from both of you. I just know that the fallen warriors are looking down upon us with the most gentle of smiles." The priest said as he smiled brightly.

"Well...I believe that it is now coming upon our final hour…..If anyone would have any objections to the marriage….speak now or-" The priest said before a soldier burst through the door and collapsed onto it, blood pooling out of his body.

The audience gasped as River and Hekapoo ran up to the man, River lifting him up.

"Good god, what happened?!" River demanded.

"The monsters….They're attacking us...the west wall has been taken…" The man replied bfore he hacked up another mouthful of blood. The light in his eye's were fading fast, as his body began to go numb.

*With Star and Janna

Star had then gotten the signal from Toffee, a black card floating down to her.

"The signal….Alright...Let's end this!" Star said with as she looked at Janna.

Janna just looked away as she drew her sword and gripped it tight. She had a hateful look on her face as well.

Star had felt once more, the ping of guilt as she looked at Janna.

And once again would that image of Marco reappear in her head, only strengthening her resolve to sever her connections.

"This is for you…" Star whispered to herself.

She then opened a dark portal, stepping inside as she pulled out her wand.

Star then saw that her new surroundings were now inside a building.

"Hmmm…? Is this the place..?" Star asked as she looked around a bit.

"Well….Guess we better get looking…" Star said as she walked forward a bit, Janna following close behind her.

Eventually, they found themselves in a large open room, most likely the waiting room. Star remembered Toffee showing the architecture of the cathedral to her before they left, so she knew they were close to the main service room.

"Alright….We're getting pretty clos-" Star said before she was pushed back by Janna.

"Quiet!" Janna said to Star as she turned around the corner and saw multiple soldiers with their weapons at their sides.

"I'll handle this….." Janna said as she stepped out and raised her sword at the soldiers.

"There's the girl that was with the princess! Get her!" The soldier announced as he ran at Janna with his spear.

Janna easily dodged the thrust as she swung at the man, bringing him down.

The soldier with a mace came forward and tried to bring it down upon her head.

She redirected it by blocking it with her sword, and brought the blade to his head for one clean slice. The man crumpled to the floor.

The last soldier started to back up against the wall as Janna slowly advanced.

In an act of desperation, he widely took a swing at Janna with his short sword, which she managed to catch in her hands.

"Bad move…." She said emotionlessly as she plunged the blade deep within his chest.

They them heard a huge boom from upstairs, both of them looking up. After a bit, the smell was starting to get a bit smoky, and the place was getting very hot.

"Damn it….They set the place on fire!" Janna yelled in anger.

"What!? But they know that we're still in here!" Star complained in surprise as she looked at Janna.

"They must have switched loyalties. They can take care of us, AND the Butterflies….That would be a win-win for them." Janna said darkly as she crossed her arms, deep within her own thoughts.

Janna then motioned for Star to follow as they circled the place, making sure there were no more soldiers alive.

Eventually, they came across the path leading towards the main aisle as Janna and Star readied her weapon.

"Am I….ready for this…?" Star asked herself as she hesitated to open the door. A million thoughts ran through her head at a mile a minute.

Was she ready? To start the final battle with her Dad? To get the revenge she had desperately wanted for so long? Would she be strong enough to do it?

She then took a deep breath and looked at her wand.

"All those questions have one answer….." Star said to herself as she started to open the door.

*Back with River and Hekapoo*

"Damn it! I need this man moved to the hospital, now!" River announced as a few guards carried him off.

"We need to get out of here! At this rate, a lot of innocents will be put in danger I'll open a portal to get them to a safer place!" Hekapoo said as she began to activate a portal, but it fizzled out immediately.

"What the….? Why can't...I...do...this!?" Hekapoo said through labored breaths as she tried to activate multiple portals, all of them fizzling like the first one.

"Damn...An anti teleportation barrier must have been put up around the chapel." River cursed.

"Waht…? Why would they want to trap us….?" Hekapoo yelled back to him as he ran to the big doors.

River then looked from his wife to the outside of the cathedral. He took a sniff as his eyes widened.

"Hmmm…? Oh no! Everyone, get out!" River yelled.

The audience looked slightly confused before

a large chunk of debris came crashing down upon the altar. Hekapoo and River managed to pull the priest out of the way before it made contact with him.

"Everyone, to the front entrance, NOW!" River announced as he opened the door.

"You heard the man, let's go people!" Hekapoo announced afterward as she gestured for the audience to hurry.

The citizens rushed out of the door in a mad panic, nearly breaking down the door in a process.

The castle had started to fall apart slowly, the cathedral crumbling into more flaming debris.

"That's….the last of them…" Hekapoo sighed in exhaustion.

"At least we have a moment to breath…." River said back before he heard an oh so familiar voice.

"Dad…." Star seethed as she and Janna stood there with their weapons drawn, her eyes bright green.

….

"Star….?" River asked as he stared down his daughter.

"What are YOU doing here!?" River yelled in fury.

"Out of all days, you come now to fight me?" River asked.

"No….I came to kill you…" Star said angrily as she began to charge up her magic.

"I don't think so….You're not going to do anything to him while I'm around…" Hekapoo growled as she drew her pair of daggers from underneath her dress.

Janna then charged energy through her sword, as she looked at Star, waiting for her signal.

"So this is it then….You come back to kill the last TRUE heir to the throne. To serve some of your warped sense of justice.?" River asked as he took a battle stance.

"No more words…..You've uttered enough already." Star said as she pointed her wand at River.

"Fair point…." River said as he drew his sword.

The cathedral seemed to almost freeze in time as either party waited for a first strike to counter. Star made the first move by firing a green beam at River, which he backed away from. He then reared back and ran towards Star with blinding speed as he took a swipe at her. She managed to create a barrier to deflect it, but it broke fro River's endless barrage of attacks. She flew back into a wall, hitting it hard.

"I may not have the magical prowess of my wife or you, but I am a capable and feared warrior on this planet. Do not forget who hired the man for your combat training." River said as he advanced towards Star.

Janna rushed at Hekapoo, her sword meeting her daggers each time they went in for a strike. Hekapoo returned the favor, blocking every one of Janna's thrusts with her blade. Eventually, they managed to deadlock each other, as they forced their blades in hoping off catching one another off guard.

"Look's like you've gotten better at this….Too bad you chose the wrong opponent to fight…"Hekapoo said.

"You're right….I should have asked for someone who would give me a challenge…." Janna taunted as she and Hekapoo jumped backwards.

"You'll take back those words when these end up in your spleen." Hekapoo threatened as she rushed at Janna. Janna launched a small platoon of magic missiles at Hekapoo, which Hekapoo dodged.

"Hah! You mis-" Hekapoo laughed before she nearly blocked a slice from Janna's sword.

"You were saying….? Janna asked with a smirk.

River then raised the sword over Star's head, Star narrowly dodging it as she blasted him away with a spell.

River, however, quickly recovered as he charged at Star once more, locking his sword with her wand as she tried to push him off.

"You come here for revenge, but you realize now that fate can only bring your death!" River said as he tried to bring his blade upon her.

"Fate….? I make my own!" Star yelled as she managed to do a leg sweep, catching him off guard.

River tumbled back a bit, before getting up.

"Your own fate huh….? When you're a slave to a monster like him? That's rich…" River taunted as he pointed his blade at Star.

"I am not a slave to him! And if I had followed you two? Submitted to your request? I would have been enslaved anyways. It would have been just as bad as St. Ogo's!" Star yelled in fury.

"No, I would rather go my own path...And make my own decisions….And it just so happens that we want what Toffee wants." Star announced.

"I never could accept how this changed you….However one thing seemed to stick in your transformation, your NAIVETY!" River said with a confident smirk.

"Shut up!" Star yelled as she blindly rushed at River, who dodged the strike and flipped behind her attack.

"Just like it was naive enough to think you could defeat me….." River whispered before he brought a hard slice down upon Star's back.

First, Star felt numb as she saw some blood spatter about….her blood...She then felt the searing pain. It spread throughout her own body at an alarming rate, consuming all her thoughts until all they thought about was her pain. It was quickly getting overloaded from panic…..and in a few moments, she passed out.

Janna was busy fending off Hekapoo, seeing that she was evenly matched her. She then overheard River's conversation with Star, before she saw what happened to her. Star's body crumpled to the floor, the large gash in her back clearly visible and oozing with blood.

"S-Star….?" Janna said with a worried expression as she lost focus of the fight with Hekapoo, earning her a kick in the chest.

"That all you-" Hekapoo began to say before she nearly got sliced at by Janna, who was off charging at River.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Janna yelled as she blocked a stab from River meant for Star. River arched an eyebrow as he looked at his new opponent. He then studied her face as their blades stood there, struggling for dominance.

"Hmmm...I remember you! You're the girl with Star. So you've picked up the sword have you?….What a shame….To have such valiant weapon in the hands of scum like you…" River said angrily as he pushed Janna back towards Star.

Janna was at a loss for words. She might have been able to take Hekapoo by herself while Star took on River, but as of now...she was unconscious….

She needed some time to heal Star a bit and make sure she wasn't hurt.

"Look at you. Already worrying over her when she doesn't even care about you! You caving in?" Her inner voice taunted.

"Quiet...I'm doing it as a comrade. Nothing more…." Janna said darkly as she scowled at her inner voice.

She then placed her hands on Star and chanted a quick healing spell, similar to the one the Chancellor used.

" _ **Gebrochene Knochen werden neu….Doch der Muskel soll zerrissen werden. ...Es gibt keinen Gewinn, es gibt keinen Verlust…...Nur gleich.."**_ Janna whispered to Star as a light blue aura went from her wand into Star's chest.

Janna then stood up and faced River once more with an angry expression.

"I may not be a knight, but you're no king!"

" Now I'm done listening to you drone on! If you think you can kill me, then do it already!" Janna taunted as she got up from his retaliation and readied her sword as she took a deep breath.

"That can be arranged!" River said as he and Hekapoo ran at him with their weapons drawn.

"All I've got to do is hold them off until that healing spell kicks in…." Janna said quietly as she charged her energy into her sword.

Hekapoo was the first to strike as she swiped at Janna, most of the strikes being blocked by her. She tried to retaliate back, but River managed to block it in time. Hekapoo then came back with another series of slashes and thrusts with her dagger, this time Janna being caught off guard and flying back towards the hallway.

She then got up quickly and ran down it, River running after her as Hekapoo ran along the walls. She manage to parry most of River's attacks, but she was quickly losing ground in the endeavor.

The situation escalated as Hekapoo joined the fray, Janna not being able to keep up with Hekapoo's and River's never ending strikes.

Eventually, Janna was pushed into a corner, as River swiped the sword out of her hand, it landing on the floor.

"All that confidence….All that potential…..Gone to waste by serving him…." River said with a disappointed look to his face as he approached Janna.

"Damn it...I have to hold out...just a little longer against these two….." Janna grunted to herself.

She stood up by using her sword as support to help herself up.

"Come on...Give up already. You're fighting a battle you won't win." Hekapoo said as she leveled her daggers at Janna's face.

Star then began to stir from her sleep as she woke up groggily. She felt slimy, weak, but at least alive somehow. She slowly got up and held her head, it still spinning. Her back exploded with pain, but she no longer felt blood spilling down it.

She walked over and managed to locate her wand, before she heard a grunt of pain.

"Janna!" Star screamed as she found a surge of adrenaline and ran towards the sound she heard.

Janna ran at River and began to clash with him once more, blade meeting blade. However Hekapoo managed to kick Janna in the chest as River landed another blow on Janna.

Star ran through the hallway, finding the room the fight was in.

"Janna!" Star screamed as she looked at her.

Star blinked as she once again saw the flashing image of Marco in her mind taking the place of Janna. Sh

Janna was on the ground, with multiple bruises on her body.

River turned around with an eyebrow raised. "You surely are just as resistant as Moon was. That strike was near fatal….I'm almost impressed…" River grunted. As he looked to Star.

Star narrowed her eyes as she could feel that familiar dark power building up inside of her. Her eyes then glowed a brilliant green as she gripped her wand as she walked up to River.

"I've had ENOUGH!" Star said as she cast a powerful spell at Hekapoo, blasting her back onto a wall, immobilizing her and entangling her within a thick series of magical chains.

River then noticed the change in her eyes and scowled.

"Hekapoo!" River screamed in worry as he readied his weapon once more to strike at Star in retaliation.

"You still depend on your dark powers, but they won't save y-" River yelled as he ran at Star before being punched back, blinded by Star's newfound speed despite her injury.

"I've heard enough of your taunt and your disrespect to this toxic family….I'm going to end this now!" Star said as she blasted River back, knocking his sword out of his hands.

"River!...Grr! Let me go!" Hekapoo grunted as she struggled against her chains.

River stood there, struggling to get up before Star stomped down her boot on River's chest as she grabbed his sword.

"Insulting me….Trying to hurt my friend….You have fallen far from your grace….And who I thought to be my Dad. But now….I see a pitiful man who is a shell of himself…" Star said as she picked up the sword and it between his eyes.

River looked downward as he finally spoke up.

"You are not wrong Star…" He whispered.

"I was consumed by my anger and lust for revenge. I let it change me and nearly end my kingdom. And when I chose to change, it was already too late…."

"I failed in my duty...I could not save you from the darkness you suffered...I only increased your affinity to it….I had failed in my promise to Moon…" River said sadly.

"If I die here….Then so be it by my own creation." River said silently as he accepted his fate.

"River, no!...Star, don't! Please!" Hekapoo screamed in vain. She struggled even more in her chains as she looked upon the two.

Star ignored her as Janna looked up at Star, wondering what she would do.

"Looks like you were naive enough to think you could kill me….Now I know who to curse for having it… You left me to rot and suffer...You deserve no sympathy from me….Goodbye….Dad…." Star said venomously as she drove the sword through his heart. She then kicked him away as she turned back to Janna.

"Nooooo!" Hekapoo yelled as she broke through the magical chains and ran towards the now limp body of her new husband.

( **I advise you guys look up the song, Yuna's Ballad from FFX-2 and listen to it while reading this next segment. It makes it even better.)**

"River?….River!?" Hekapoo screamed as she shook his lifeless body to see if there was any spark of life within him. She however, found no said spark.

She then gently put him down on the ground as she slowly rose up, clenching her fists extremely tight as tears ran down her face.

Hekapoo only felt one emotion at the two of them….Rage. She wanted to take every little bit of pain she had gained, and bounce it them tenfold.

"Star! So this is how you honor your family…..his sacrifice...And you would help her Janna!? You two sicken me for how callous and unfeeling you are, how you kill without remorse!" Hekapoo yelled.

"Without remorse…..Without remorse!? You don't know what it feels like to have your own father try to kill you when you let your guard down! Do you still wonder why I'm like this!?" Star yelled angrily at her.

"Remorse? You make me laugh. You don't know the meaning of the word, you heartless killer…..….What even are you anymore…? Human or Mewnian? Or are you monsters…? No….What you are, are DEMONS!" Hekapoo screamed as she drew her daggers.

Star narrowed her eyes as she stared at Hekapoo, readying her wand.

"You've taken everything from us…..our friends….our kingdom...our loved ones….I have nothing left to live for in this place….All except one thing...to KILL YOU!" Hekapoo screamed as she sent out a force wave of power that made both of their eyes widen in surprise.

Hekapoo then opened a portal behind her and stabbed into it, Star nearly dodging it as she backed up. She grimaced at her forced movement, feeling her back tense up and throb as she was painfully reminded of her previous injury.

"Did she break our anti teleportation barrier…?" Janna asked as she drew her sword once more and pointed at Hekapoo.

Hekapoo then ran towards Janna as she slashed at her, both of them exchanging blow for blow with their weapons.

"You're going to pay for all the lives you've taken...All the people's lives you've destroyed!" Hekapoo yelled as she activated two portals and stuck one arm into each to get a clean opportunity to strike at her at two sides.

Janna managed to block one strike, but the other sliced her cheek. Janna managed to grab the arm that did though and pulled Hekapoo towards her and punched her back.

Janna narrowed her eyes as Hekapoo multiplied herself. She then, with her clones, dog piled Janna before she blasted them back with a force wave.

Star watched Janna in awe as she dueled with her supposed ''equal", seeing how Janna performed without fail. Every movement, cold and precise. It seemed she had dropped her cocky attitude at this point. Seeing her like this honestly made Star a bit worried for her sake.

Eventually, Janna and Hekapoo were standing there, their blades in a deadlock as they struggled at each other.

"Just give up already….I'm only giving you this last chance…." Janna said darkly as she pushed forward.

"Why would I give up now?! Not on this place...My home….As long as you two still stand, then I won't matter!" Hekapoo yelled as she jumped backwards and readied for one final slice.

"Your choice it is then…" Janna said as she jumped back as well.

The two then jumped at each other and made one final strike at one another, both swinging their weapons at the same time.

Hekapoo's eyes widened as she saw a huge gash in her chest open as a huge gush of blood splashed out. She then collapsed to the floor in pain and shock as she looked up at Janna's blade.

Janna looked at Hekapoo and narrowed her eyes as she shook the blood off her sword, diminishing the green aura around it.

Star slowly started to approach Hekapoo with an empathetic expression.

"Get away from me!" Hekapoo yelled in anger as she coughed up some more blood.

"Leave her be….We have more important stuff to do…" Janna said coldly.

'But-" Star said in anger before she saw Janna already leaving. She ran after her outside of the chapel.

Janna was the first to walk out and saw a pair of monsters, holding a pair of torches in their hands as the other monsters were looting the castle. Janna's expression turned into an angry one as she drew her sword once more.

"YOU! What the hell happened there!" Janna yelled angrily as she walked towards a nearby group of monsters.

"Hmph….What do you want to know missy…?" The monster said as he smirked.

"That was against the plan! You could have killed us!" Janna yelled out as Star slowly caught up to her.

"What's wrong? We just tried to get the King and the Queen. You just happened to be there, and we thought you hadn't got inside yet." The monster smirked once more, obviously lying.

"Although….if we took out the Princess and her lackey too, I wouldn't mind…." I

"You're really betraying us!? How dare you! I thought you were fighting for equality…." Star yelled as she drew her wand.

"Equality…? That doesn't exist here. And do you really think that-" The monster said before he got stabbed through the chest.

Janna thruster her sword even deeper as she thruster her sword further into his chest, and then retracted it.

"Janna! What are you-" Star asked in surprise.

"Following orders." Janna said coldly as she turned around and sliced the other monster in half. His shrieks pierced the air as he crumpled to the floor.

She then sheathed her blade, and opened a dark portal to Toffee's castle, not looking back at her before she did so.

"Janna…." Star said sadly before she heard a groan from the first monster.

She turned around and squinted her eyebrows.

"Hmph….Toffee knew this was going to happen...…" Star scowled as stepped towards the portal.

"Hmph….You really think that he isn't the one behind this….?" The monster whispered as his breath was failing him.

"What do you mean?" Star asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He….hired us...to take care of you….To burn the cathedral down before you even had a chance to know…" The monster said quietly.

"Is that your bad attempt at lying…..?" Star asked as she looked back to the monster, preparing to finish him off.

" You're just like a wee little pawn in his stupid chess game for him to use. Just like me I guess…" The monster said as his eyes started to glaze over and he slumped over.

Star looked in utter confusion as she stared at his now dead corpse.

What the monster said was starting to make sense, despite the lunacy of it. If anybody was to take them all out in one fell swoop, then it would be Toffee himself. She had never trusted him, and now….she had evidence to justify that reason.

She then started to feel woozy as her vision blurred. Her injuries had finally caught up to her adrenaline as she fell face first into the concrete as her vision went dark. The last thing she saw was Janna coming out of the portal with a concerned look on her face.


	15. Chapter 15- The Madman's Pupil

( **Hey guys, its me, PureTrash. Just wanted to say sorry for the late upload. I'm moving to Cali as we speak, and it was difficult to get back to the story, but luckily I was able to finish it. Shout out to Immanuel for his 10/10 reviews, and my friend KillerIke for peer editing. Also thank you to every person reading this and enjoying it.?)**

Chapter 15- The Madman's Pupil

Janna turned around to see Star collapse onto the floor, crumpled over as she lightly groaned.

"Star!" Janna said in concern as she ran over to her and looked at her.

Her eyes were still,her hair matted in blood,from when her back was assaulted by River. Janna then sighed sadly as she picked up Star in a bridal manner and ran through the dark portal.

Janna warped into the castle and ran down the empty halls, her footsteps echoing around the corridor, as she searched for the infirmary door. Eventually, she found it, and barged through the door. She softly placed Star down in the bed, pulling the covers over her.

"She almost looks too...peaceful.…" Janna said as she looked at Star's unconscious form and looked down at the floor in shame.

"At least she's safe…." Janna said as she lightly smiled, the first real one she cracked at Star in a long time.

She then felt sleepy herself, the huge battle taxing her body heavily, as her eyelids slowly closed as she surrendered unto sleep.

The week had been anything but a week of reverence for Janna. Star's condition had evolved into a full on coma, some terrible nightmare and her injuries trapping her in some kind of dream state.

Janna would always come by to visit Star before her training sessions with Toffee, hoping that as she opened the door, she would hear that familiar voice again. Despite how angry she was with Star, she couldn't help but feel pitiful for her.

Each time she would knock on the door, she would say softly:

"You awake Star?"

She would then get no response whatsoever, only saddening her. She then would put on the song Space Unicorn or Just Friends in a desperate attempt to snap her out of her coma, none of them working at all.

The only solace she had from the dreadful subject of Star was training with Toffee. Despite their differences, he was proving to be an effective trainer of her skills.

"Pick up your sword, and we shall try again…" Toffee said with a blank expression as he pointed his rapier at her face.

Janna nodded and wiped her brow as she slowly stood up and faced him down. She then picked up her sword and sent her aura through it, covering it in its familiar green aura. She then crossed the blade with Toffee's before the battle begun.

Janna jumped back and fired a few rounds of dark arrows at Toffee as cover as she ran under her cover fire as she raised her sword t strike Toffee.

Toffee seemingly teleported behind her as he kicked her back into a wall, then activating a dispel spell to dispel Janna's arrows.

"Not bad Janna, but that will only work upon a crowd. When fighting one opponent, and a good one, then that attack would have been easily read and punished. Remember that your opponent is not some bumbling idiot. He or she is skilled and intelligent." Toffee said as she took a few strikes at Janna.

Janna managed to block it just in time as she countered them, Toffee and her exchanging a few blows at one another.

Toffee then bounced her back as he disarmed Janna.

Janna uttered a sound of rage as she held her hand in pain.

"Give up the fight Janna….You have lost already…." Toffee said.

"Who said it's over!?" Janna asked as she fired a magic blast at Toffee. Toffee merely shook his head as he redirected the blast at Janna, sighing. This blasted Janna back into a wall with her sword landing near Toffee.

"Once again, your emotions have gotten in the way of success…" Toffee said as he picked up her sword and then handed it back to her.

"Again….And heed my warning this time…" Toffee commanded.

"Fine…" Janna muttered as she took hold of the blade once more.

Janna then heard the chiming of the grandfather clock from the dining hall.

"It seems it is the evening for you. We shall resume our training in a few hours. You are permitted to eat what you can from the storage." Toffee said as he walked back to his office.

Janna then left to go see Star, knowing full and well that her condition might be the same as yesterday. But she clung to that hope as she would her sword and kept walking towards Star's room.

" **HEATHEN…..TRAITOR…..MURDERER…."**

The words repeated in her mind over and over again.

" **DEMON….WITCH…...PHYSCOPATH…"**

The voices in her dreams had not stopped their ceaseless taunting. Time seemed to slow here in her mind, as if to drag out every painful minute for what it was worth.

Star sat there, the voices berating her over and over again in her mind.

"Stop….please…." Star said softly as she eventually entered the fetal position in desperation.

Star clutched the side of her head before she saw a distant yet brilliant light.

"Hm…?" She questioned as she followed the strange light.

She felt its warmness, which was in stay to contrast to the recesses of her mind. She basked in the light, it covering every pore of her body. She then slowly opened her eyes to see a gray stone wall around her.

"Is this….the castle…?" Star asked, her voice a bit hoarse and scratchy.

She then held her head in pain a bit as she looked around to assess her condition.

She then placed a finger down her back, feeling a layer of gauze applied on her back, wincing from it being tender.

"Did someone patch me up…?" Star asked herself as she sat up and looked outside to the never-ending rain pouring down.

She then heard the door open and looked to see Janna at the door with a shocked expression on her face.

"Star….?" Janna asked as a tear fell down her face.

Star then lackadaisically stretched in her bed and waved at her.

"Morning! So-" She cheered before she saw Janna run up and hug her.

Janna knew in her mind that she shouldn't be doing this, but to see Star alive...to see that she's back….it brought only joy to her heart….

"Woah...I'm fine okay….I just passed out for a bit…" Star said before Janna looked up at her.

"A bit?! You were out for a week! I was worried sick about you!" Janna said as Star's eyes widened.

"A...week….?" Star said as she held her head once more.

The memories of River's attack came flooding back at once. Her grave injury at the hands of her father, the losing battle of Janna against the two, the killing of her father, the desperate screams of Hekapoo. She remembered it all in gross detail.

And then, she remembered the monster's last words.

"Toffee….." Star said under her breath as she looked back at Janna.

"I need to tell you something Janna….." Star said.

"What is it Star?" Janna asked as she looked at Star with a concerned expression.

"Janna….It's about Toffee….He's not what he seems…." Star said as she looked back down to the floor.

"Star...?What are you talking about?" Janna asked her expression changed to a puzzled one.

"Janna….He's been leading us on this entire time….He's been trying to kill us…" Star said as she clenched her fists.

"You're kidding me….right? That's not a good joke Star." Janna said as she narrowed her eyes.

"It's not a joke Janna. We never should have trusted him….he's just another-" Star began to say before Janna butted in.

"Another….monster…?" Janna said with venom as the room seemed to turn a bit colder.

"Is that what you were going to say Star?!" Janna fumed as she crossed her arms.

"I guess, but-" Star said back before Janna yelled back.

"See, I knew it! Star...Are you really blaming him for this….?" Janna said.

"Yes, I am! I already know that he isn't the person to do this without an ulterior motive. Janna, he's going to kill us!" Star yelled.

"He's been HELPING us this whole time! I may not be on the best terms, but you accusing him is just like you Star. Push everyone away, to dull the never-ending pain, am I right? I guess I wasn't the last one, huh?" Janna seethed as tears came to her eyes.

" And sure he may not be the compassionate person we want, but he's the leader we've got, the one we honestly need." Janna yelled.

"Why do we need him!? We already killed my dad and Hekapoo! What else was there? Janna….Don't let your mind be clouded by ignorance. You're a lot smarter than you let on, and Toffee being bad news for you isn't new news." Star seethed.

"Maybe you're bad news for me…" Janna said darkly.

"I never thought you would cast aside our friendship….our lo-" Janna said softly.

At this moment, Star felt something bubbling inside her, this insatiable darkness new to her experience. Whether it was her own or someone else's mattered little to her. She acted upon instinct and screamed the next few words, instantly regretting it.

"Who said I EVER loved you!?" Star screamed, her eyes bright green.

Janna eyes widened as a tear once again fell down her face and she backed up.

Star backed up and then changed her look to one of concern.

"I'm sorry Janna….That was…" Star apologized before she saw the tears fall freely from her face.

"Janna…?" Star asked in concern.

"I thought...I really did...That you loved me….But no…You took my heart, and crushed it into bits and pieces. And now you did all over again….And while you may not have said it, the message was loud and clear. Even now as we talk, it still is." Janna yelled.

"I'm too weak….To change anything….And to be with you….You've made that painfully obvious…." Janna said as she clenched her fists.

"That's not the-" Star began to say before Janna interrupted again.

"You know damn well it is! You might as well have said it yourself!" Janna yelled as she stepped up Star.

"I'm done with this! This toxic relationship! I'm done saving you, being there for you! If you want a lonely life next to the demented shadows of our friends, then be my guest!" Janna screamed as she stormed out of the room.

"Janna, please!" Star yelled after as she tried to chase after her, but her back was still healing.

"Gr!..." Star grunted in pain as she sat back on bed.

She then held her head as she began to process what happened back there.

"What have I done….? Why did I even say that to her? I don't mean that...right…?" Star said sadly.

"Maybe….I do….Is that why I said it…?" Star said sadly as she looked to the floor.

"I have pushed her away...I've acted so...selfish...so unfeeling….And yet I argue with Toffee over the fact that emotions are key in battle…"

Star then began to cry softly as she covered her face in her hands.

"I always find a way to mess up something...don't I?" Star said her sadly as she lay in her bed.

*With Janna*

Janna had ran down the hall, tears falling freely from her face as she finally made it to her room. Before she could open the door, she heard the sound of dress shoes hitting the floor.

"Janna….A moment if you would…" Toffee said sternly as he walked up to her with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Please Toffee….I can't right now…" Janna said with a depressed expression.

"Is this….about Star?" Toffee asked with an arched eyebrow.

Janna nodded solemnly as she looked back at Toffee.

"She has turned you away again, hasn't she?" Toffee asked.

Once again Janna had nodded yes slowly and sadly as she clenched her fists.

"She….never loved me….I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't even consider me a friend…" Janna seethed.

Toffee offered a rare somber look at Janna as he placed a hand on her shoulder, a very rare display of genuine camaraderie for the emotionless tactician.

"How do you feel about this Janna?" Toffee asked her.

"Are you kidding me!? I feel hurt...betrayed….angry….I never want to see her face again…" Janna yelled as she punched the wall.

"Just when I had left my guard down after the last time she hurt me….She did it again…." Janna said bitterly as she felt a tear go down her face.

"Exactly….That's all she'll ever be...Someone who strives to drag others into her darkness. To share her hell with them to lessen her pain." Toffee said.

On normal circumstances, Janna might have defended Star in this situation, but being grief stricken and in anger had clouded her judgement. She felt the feelings of her rage start to bubble up in large spurts.

"You're right….That's all she does…." Janna seethed.

"You can't just let this slide anymore can you….? You're going to do something about it, aren't you?" Toffee egged her on, his claims sounding more and more believable by the second.

"You're right….." Janna said softly as she thought to herself.

"She believes you to be weak….inferior to her..Why else would she distance herself from you and try to keep you from the battle?" Toffee asked.

"But I'm going to prove her wrong…." Janna said as she looked back up at Toffee's now outstretched hand.

"Then take my hand….my pupil….take it and grasp the power you deserve…..You wish to show her your strength….You wish for revenge? I can provide all that you need…." Toffee said with an evil smirk.

Janna hesitated for a moment as she then thought back in her mind to her fight with Star.

" **Who said I EVER loved you!?"**

Janna cringed at the memory, as she then grabbed Toffee's hand. He smiled a wide smirk as he began to cast a dark spell, a hexagram encircling the two as the wind picked up in a spiral around them.

The air around them grew cold as the wind had picked up to an extreme as Janna's hair flapped around wildly.

She felt a sharp pain in her head then as her body was levitate in midair.

"Aaaaaa!" She screamed in pain as she squinted her eyes.

"Be silent….It will all be over soon….Need my voice." Toffee said to Janna.

Toffee smirked as his plans were starting to come to fruition.

In her mind, she saw the fleeting memories of her friends, her family, her own self…..All of it cast into the dark, all except for one thing….her rage and newfound hatred for Star.

As the last piece of herself was fading, she looked upon her own mind and saw its corruption.

Janna had thought to fight back, and began having second thoughts all together. However, she then began to hear a demented choir of voices ring out to her, all with Star's voice.

" **Who said I EVER loved you!?"**

" **Who said I EVER loved you!?"**

" **Who said I EVER loved you!?"**

The voice kept repeating over and over again in her head as a cruel mantra she could never stop.

She then heard a soothing voice above the others, a familiar one.

"Rise up….my pupil…" Toffee commanded.

Janna looked confused before she saw a dark shadow start to come out of the ground.

It looked exactly like her, except that it had a malevolent stare on its face as it turned to Janna.

"What….? What is Toffee doing? What are you!?" Janna questioned as she backed away, trying to draw her sword but not finding it.

"Looking for this…?" It said with a big smirk as it turned around finally to where Janna could see her dark green eyes, the white in them replaced with black.

"Where did you get my sword?!" Janna questioned as she squinted her eyes.

"Your sword?...Eheheh….I don't think a fake like you could use it…" It smirked as it pointed it at Janna.

"You're the fake!" Janna yelled as she took a fighting stance and tried to cast magic, but all of it was negated.

"I beg to differ….You see...I am you. You're just the stupid part of your innocence that still loves that witch…." It scowled at Janna.

"I'm your hate and malice incarnate…..Which means at this point...I am you….You're just an unneeded part of me…." It said as they both heard the voice of Toffee once more.

"Don't worry though….I'll make sure to do all the things that you wanted to do…-"

"Janna!" Star screamed, her voice slightly muffled.

"Like showing Star her place….Oh how I….No...We've been waiting for this….." It said with a deranged look on its face as it looked back at Janna.

"No! I won't let you touch her!" Janna yelled as she ran at her dark self.

"You understand yourself of what this means to us...don't you? Revenge….against the one who has hurt us twice before…."

Janna stood there silently. On one end, she truly felt that what would happen to Star was justified, but the other side was worried about what would happen to her during said revenge. She was beyond conflicted at the moment as then saw her dark self disappeared into the sea of black, dragging her along with it.

*Back outside*

Janna then slowly floated back down,

Slowly Janna opened her eyes as she slowly stood up, her eyes now a dark greenish color,the white in them turned deep black, her sword emitting a sickly purple color, and her lips curved into a malevolent smile.

"Of course…." Janna said respectively.

*Back with Star*

Star felt a strange disturbance in magic, one she had never felt before. Despite it not being one of her strong suits, she felt the wave of power nonetheless. It was almost unfathomable the scale of the caster's power, nearly putting her in a cold sweat.

She then heard Janna's cry from downstairs as she quickly shed her sheets and ran out the door, grabbing her wand and her adrenaline dulling the pains in her back as she ran after her.

After scoring the long and dark hallways, she came upon a glowing light as well as two shadows.

"Hold on Janna….I'm coming!" Star yelled as she ran to the source of light, spotting the two at the end of it.

Star ran up to Janna, running up to Janna and embracing her in a hug as she cried out.

"Janna! You're okay!" Star said as she looked up at Janna, her eyes blocked by her bangs.

Janna then finally looked up at her with a menacing smile and dark green eyes as she lightly began to giggle. The giggling progressively turned more and more louder and deranged.

"Janna….?" Star asked in concern as she backed away from her.

"Eheheh…..Ahahaha!" Janna laughed as she the most maddening smile on her face as she approached Star slowly.

"Janna….What are you doing…?" Star asked fearfully as she continued backing away from her.

"What I've been waiting for…..May I?" Janna said as she looked to Toffee.

"Of course. Clip the butterfly's wings for me. They will make an excellent prize for my mantle." Toffee said.

Star narrowed her eyes as she stared at Toffee.

"So you're the one behind this! You better change her back, or else!" Star yelled as she ran at Toffee with her wand charged.

However, before she could make it,Janna met her wand with her blade and pushed her back.

"Sorry….But your fight is with me Star….." Janna said as she started to charge some energy through her sword.

"Janna, he's got you under some kind of spell! You've got to fight it somehow!" Star yelled out to her.

"You don't get it Star…..I wanted this! I want to have the power….the power...to get my revenge….I'm going to return the pain you dealt me tenfold!" Janna said as a dark aura appeared around her.

"Janna…." Star said softly before she looked to her friend.

"Damn...I was too late to save her. I had pushed her away too much….And now….She's been manipulated by Toffee…And its all my fault…." Star thought in her mind as she raised her wand half-heartedly.

"Oh….So you're finally going to fight me? Good…..Do try to entertain me before I finish you off…." Janna said with a smirk as she took a fighting stance, and then launched herself at Star, who could do nothing block her attack.

Janna had unleashed a devastating combo as she struck at the wand before knocking it out of her hand and elbowing her in the gut. She then prepared a magic blast while Star was hunched over, but Star jumped back.

"What's wrong!? Aren't you going to fight!? Or are you too scared? Scared to kill another friend….? Or will you let yourself go and become the monster you are?" Janna taunted with malice as she rushed at Star.

Once again, Star had no energy nor will to fight Janna and was beaten back senselessly as she heard Janna's mad laughs echo throughout the room and in her mind.

"Janna please! Stop acting so crazy?! This isn't you!" Star begged.

"How would YOU KNOW!?" Janna said as she unleashed a huge magic strike from her sword.

"You don't know anything about me because every time we connect, you pushed me away. But I bet you knew Marco well, huh!?" Janna seethed.

Star barely managed to dodge, but Janna's next strike managed to slice into her shoulder blade.

"Aaaa!" Star screamed in pain as she looked to assess the wound.

"*Pant*...It's not deep…." Star said. Deep….but bleeding badly….

"There we go...That's more like it…..I want to hear you scream…." Janna said darkly as she flashed a psychotic smile.

"Janna….What did he do to you….?" Star asked in complete horror before she narrowly dodged a strike meant for her head.

Janna then went over to finish Star off while she was distracted. She raised the blade over Star and shouted a resounding…

"Now...DIE!"

Star had no time to react as she saw the blade move towards her heart. She closed her eyes and anticipated the hot searing pain….but it never arrived.

"Huh?" Star asked as she looked up to see Janna holding the sword above her heart, but no wound.

"What…?" Janna said before she held her head in pain as she began to back away.

"J-Janna….?" Star asked as Janna then started to scream in pain, holding her head again.

Eventually she then couldn't handle the stress as she collapsed to the floor.

Toffee merely looked on in fervent pleasure as he activated a dark portal to travel to.

"Excellent….While the spell has draw backs….Right there was a testament to its power….Oh Eclipsa, you mad dog...Playing with the mind itself in such a manner…." Toffee smirked

"As much as it would be entertaining to continue watching...I must take my leave….Farewell...until next time we meet…" Toffee smirked as he opened a dark portal.

"Wait! Come back here!" Star yelled as she ran after him, only to end up jumping into nothing.

"He got away….." Star grumbled.

She then heard a scream from Janna, her eyes widening as she turned around to see Janna fall over.

Star ran towards Janna as she grabbed her before she fell.

"Janna…" Star said as she saw Janna sweating and breathing heavily.

"There's only one way to fix a spell of this magnitude….I've got to go to the source…" Star said dutily as she stood up. Her balance wavered for a moment before she steadied herself and aimed her wand at Janna's head.

" **Die Geheimnisse des Geistes werden vor mir nackt gemacht"** Star said as she focused her wand at Janna's head and created a portal.

It soon appeared as it glowed with a purple rim around it. Star took a deep breath as she took a step inside, amazed by everything she saw.

It was almost unnerving what she saw. Everything was distorted and in eerie shades of colors. The dimensions of everything were warped and twisted, and the sky was a perpetual black.

The road ahead was splintered about in every way.

"Is this Toffee's real power…?" Star whispered in horror as she continued on.

The track was difficult to say the least. Occasionally, reality would shift, and she would have to walk along the pillars that erupted out the sides of the pathway to avoid falling to….whatever that dark mass was below her.

There seemed to be an eerie tune to this place, and she felt like a pair of eyes were watching her wherever she went.

"Janna!" Star called out to her friend, looking around desperately for her.

Eventually, she made her way to a tall, dark pillar standing high in the sky, or what she perceived to be the sky.

In the center of it, stood a girl, her back turned to Star.

"Janna! I found you!" Star cheered as she ran towards her with a big smile.

"I'm so glad you're okay!"

Janna then turned around with a cheerful grin on her face too. When she turned around however, half of her face was a deep black color, along with her body. Her eyes were a blank white, as if she were some spirit.

"I'm glad you're here too Star….Now we can finally be together…" Janna said, her voice sounding strangely hollow and hoarse.

"Um...yeah…." Star agreed nervously as she looked around.

"Let's get out of here Janna-" Star said before Janna seemed to appear behind her and whispered into her ear.

"Why would I leave…?"

Star jumped back in fright as she looked at Janna.

"I have everything I need. No violence...No heartbreak...No world to scorn me...The darkness around me is so soothing...like a blanket…" Janna strange like a poem.

Star simply stared in a bit of confusion.

"This place...however can bring me everything...but you….I want you Star...I NEED you here…" Janna said with a creepy smile.

"No, Janna. We've got to go...now...This place is dangerous if we don't purify it together….It's playing you...HE'S playing you.." Star begged before Janna then reared back and glared at her.

"You don't...want...to stay?" Janna asked, her speech broken.

"We both need to go...This place is only just a deathtrap waiting for-" Star began before a dark tendril came out of the ground and grabbed her arm.

"Aaaa!" Star screamed as she tried to shake it off.

"Janna! What's going on!?" Star screamed as she then felt two more tendrils stick to her right arm and leg.

"If you don't want stay...I'll MAKE YOU!" Janna said, her voice filled with malice as dozens of tendrils sprouted from the ground when she raised her hand.

Star struggled in her binds as she managed to use a force wave to get free.

She ran away from Janna, fear settling in her mind as she looked behind her to see the dark tendrils catching up to her.

Suddenly Janna appeared in front of her, confusion evident on her face.

"Why are you running Star…? Are you...afraid of me…?" Janna asked as she cocked her head to the side and then sent another sea of tendrils to grab Star.

"Janna, this place isn't good for you...Toffee has corrupted it, and we need to work together to get you back to normal. But I can't do that being trapped here!" Star yelled as she finally made it past the garden of dark tendrils as she looked at Janna in her seemingly soulless eye.

"Please Janna….I need the real you...Not this shell of you.." Star yelled as she cupped Janna's cheek.

Janna then backed up and held her head, her soft brown eyes returning as she looked at Star in fear and exasperation.

"S-Star….help…Please...before the spell takes effect again..." Janna uttered.

Star nodded as she raised her wand and uttered the Dispel spell.

She then saw an extremely bright flash of light, forcing her to cover her eyes.

When she opened them next, she was sitting in the hall with Janna across from her.

She had begun to stir herself as she then got up and looked around.

"Star….What happened?" Janna said before Star stood up herself, accidentally showing off her multiple stab wounds.

"Where did you get those wounds….?" Janna asked fearfully.

"What…? Oh no...Janna...Their nothing-" Star began to say.

Janna then took a look at her sword, and then she examined her sword. It was covered in a red, sticky substance….blood.

No dead bodies were around….No one but….Star…

Janna eyes widened in realization as she connected the dots as to what happened.

She quickly dropped the sword, tears coming to her face as she ran back into the hall.

"Janna, wait!" Star yelled after her as she tried to walk after Janna.

( **Might want to play Moonlit Night from Death Parade. It makes this scene so much more emotional.)**

Star had finally slowly managed to make it up to the stairs leading up to the castle rampart and close to the spot where they connected with each other. Where Janna had held her so closely and where she had finally found some form of stability in her life.

And there now sat Janna, bawling her eyes out as she hugged her knees to her face.

"J-Janna?" Star said softly.

"Go away Star….Please…" Janna cried as she didn't look up at Star.

"Janna...I know how you're feeling….but-" Star began before Janna whipped around to her.

"No you don't Star! How are you supposed to even comprehend how I feel!? I DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL!" Janna screamed out to Star.

"A part of me hates you….But a part of me feels so sad and broken….I almost KILLED you!" Janna yelled.

"My best friend….No….my...love..In my rage and stupid emotions...I let it change me into an abomination…" Janna said more softly.

Star's heart fluttered at what she said, before she looked back at Janna.

"You know that wasn't you….He just made you do that stuff….I know you didn't mean it.." Star comforted.

"But I did. Toffee's spell didn't MAKE me do that stuff. I may have been influenced, but he didn't create the hatred within me. He didn't take out the bitterness I held for you….No...He just amplified it. But it was still there…" Janna reasoned with Star as more tears came down her face.

"And for a damn good reason!" Star screamed out.

Janna turned around in response, shocked by her raised voice.

"Janna, I've done horrible things to you. I was so focused on my duties, on my visions, on my past….That I couldn't see you suffering right in front of me. I let you keep on hurting and hurting…." Star said sadly as she began to tear up.

"No Star...It was all me...You had a right to say what you said-" Janna said as she looked to the floor before she felt Star run into her and hug her deeply.

"I didn't have the right to lie to you Janna! What I said before wasn't true... I need to say something...and I need to say it now.." Star cried into Janna's chest.

"I love you Janna! And that will never change!" Star said as she then kissed Janna in the lips. She didn't care about the future, or what would happen, all she wanted to care about was who she was with right now.

Janna's heart had fluttered when she heard those words. At that moment...all the pain she felt previously….the anger...the hate...It all washed away in that hug. That oh so familiar hug...It reminded her of the day they first got to the castle…

The feelings they shared….The kiss they exchanged….It all felt just as blissful as our first moment.

Janna hugged back, tears falling freely as she pulled Star even closer and embraced the kiss.

"I love you too Star…." Janna smiled happily as she broke for air.

They then both separated for a minute and sat back over the rampart lining and looked out to the setting sun, its glowing yellow and orange making the sky into a beautiful canvas to be spectated by all.

The wind was blowing softly as Star then scooted closer and placed a hand on Janna's hand.

Janna smiled as she grabbed hold of it, like a couple would. Star layed her head on Janna's chest as she and her watched the beautiful sunset come to a close and as the stars came out to play once more.


	16. Chapter 16-The Deal

Chapter 16- The Deal

 **(Hey guys, It's good to see everyone here. Well...Here is Chapter 16. Sorry for the delay, the week has been anything but relaxing. Fun...but still definetly exhausting...)**

"Where am...I?" Marco asked as he looked around, seeing nothing but the encroaching darkness around him.

"What is this place…?" Marco asked as he floated forward.

He then saw an image of Star in front of him.

"Star!" Marco said as he reached out to her. As he did, her hand started to turn a liquid black as it engulfed the rest of her body. She then turned around and gave him an innocent smile, before he was impaled in the chest by her arm.

"What the…? Star…?" Marco said weakly as his strength faded fast and his eyes began to feel heavy.

"You did this to me Marco...You made me into this monster. And there's nothing you can do to stop it…" Star said.

Suddenly, the world around him came to life, and the darkness then became filled with the colors of the world. Marco adjusted his eyes to see 3 familiar individuals standing around him.

He slowly got up and shook his head, it throbbing due to his new surroundings.

"M-Marco?" A voice said with fear as he identified it as Jackie.

"Jackie? What's going on here? Where are-" Marco began to say before Jackie ran up and hugged him.

"Dude, you're alive!" Jackie said into his shoulder as she hugged him tight.

Marco was shocked at first when he heard what she said, but he accepted the hug anyway with a small blush.

They then broke the hug, and separated.

"I thought you were gone….How are you- No...It doesn't even matter...You're here now, and that's what matters…" Jackie smiled as she kissed the cheek.

Marco was stunned for a bit. The last time he had seen Jackie was after their argument, but here she was, crying into his shoulder no less. Something big must have happened to him to cause such a change.

But even if that was the case, he wasn't going to waste this time just sounding like a bumbling idiot.

"Jackie….I'm so sorry….I really didn't mean to hurt you…" Marco said as he took her hand.

"I should have noticed what was gonna happen and stopped it. But I didn't, and I hurt you in the process." Marco apologized.

"Its okay Marco. I understand...How would you know that would happen?" Jackie comforted.

"Not to break this sentimental moment, but I would at least like to say hello to him first." A voice said from the darkness in a bored tone.

"Oh right….Sorry about that…" Jackie said sheepishly as she stepped back.

Hekapoo then walked up to Marco and got a good look at him.

"Well dang...I thought you were dead...It's good to have you back!" A woman in a golden dress said.

"I...really missed you, ya know….?" She smirked, drying a tear down her eye as well.

"Wait….Hekapoo?...What are you talking about guys…?" Marco asked in confusion before another woman stepped out, dressed in elegant garb.

"Allow me to explain that…" Moon said as she looked at Marco.

"Wait….Haven't we met before?" Marco asked.

Moon nodded and looked at Marco as she began to tell of what happened to him.

"Yes we have….At Star's Ballad Concert. I'm surprised to see in you in the flesh again...Or...whatever form we've taken…" Moon said.

"What do you mean?….Am I dead or something?" Marco demanded.

Moon sighed as she walked up to Marco.

"You were killed in a surprise attack from Ludo, and apparently you took a deadly blast." Moon stated as she brushed off some dirt on her uniform.

"But it seems something...or someone...has brought us back to life for some purpose…" Moon theorized.

"That's right…." Marco whispered before he remembered the most important thing to him, Star.

"Oh my gosh! Wait, what about Star!? Did she make it?" Marco asked frantically.

At the mentioning of Star, the room became silent. All three women clenched their fists tightly and the temperature of the room turned deadly cold.

"You...don't know anything that has transpired…? Do you…?" Moon asked as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"What happened? Is Star okay?" Marco asked.

"She's okay alright….Perfectly fine…" Hekapoo scowled under her breath.

"That's relieving...Knowing she's okay out there." Marco sighed with relief as Jackie clenched her fists tighter and tighter. She then whipped around to face Marco and was about to say something before they heard the click of dress shoes.

"I wouldn't be so sure that's a good thing...Marco Diaz…" A proper voice said from out the darkness.

Moon's eyes widened as she heard and recognized the voice as Hekapoo narrowed her eyes at where she heard the voice.

"T-Toffee?" Moon asked in fear.

"Ah Moon….So we meet again…I would say it's a pleasure to do so, but I never would lie to you my dear…" Toffee said with a smirk as he stepped out of the darkness.

"The feelings mutual lizard-head." Hekapoo scowled as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Wait...Toffee!? How are you alive? Me and Star took care of you a while ago!" Marco said in surprise.

"Marco, must you always disappoint me with your lack of thinking? Did you really think that the spell would really kill me?" Toffee asked.

"Well obviously since you're standing….I guess not." Marco grumbled.

"Marco….Who is this guy?" Jackie asked.

"Toffee….One of the worst monsters out there…" Marco said.

"And I'm flattered from your praise Diaz." Toffee smirked.

"But I didn't call you all here to reunite with one another or for adulation. I came here for a reason….I'm sure you all are more than acquainted with Star Butterfly, yes?" Toffee asked with a smirk.

"What of it Toffee?" Moon asked coldly.

"What would you do...if you had the chance to live again...like you are now…? While you may be able to walk and live now, I have only given you that if you serve me... To walk among your race once more." Toffee suggested.

"What! That's crazy talk! There's no way-" Hekapoo yelled before Toffee kicked forward a dead corpse.

Marco knew that corpse well…..

"Tom?" Marco asked in fear as he stared at the now deceased form of Star's old boyfriend and his old frienemy. His eyes were like two dark spheres.

"You...You killed him?" Marco asked in fear as he looked back up to Toffee.

"Yes. And he was quite hard to kill. I had not anticipated him putting up such a fight."

"He insulted me at every turn for what I had done to Star. He was just as foolish as Marco and Janna in his devotion to Star. He was completely denying her crimes in an act of suck desperation for her love. I was even considering him as a part of this deal….but be was much too unpredictable. And so his powers became mine…" Toffee explained.

"That's messed up…You just killed an innocent person!?" Jackie said as she backed away a bit.

"What of it little girl? Do you object?" Toffee asked.

"Now that my power has been explained….I believe I have a proposition for you all…." Toffee said as he materialized a glass of wine in his hand.

"If I were to grant you life anew….You would need to take someone else's life." Toffee said.

"We're not some mercenary for hire. I suggest you leave us back in the ground if that is what you came for." Moon said as she crossed her shoulders.

"Yeah...There's no way I'd work for someone like you." Hekapoo growled.

"But your prey is someone you all hold...dear to your hearts….A certain woman...Star Butterfly…" Toffee said.

All four had a shocked expression to their face as they looked slack jawed at his suggestion.

"Star…?" Marco whispered to himself.

"It would be a simple task. Join with me….And I shall give you the revere you seek and life you yearn for….But if you refuse…You know that you've let a monster of a girl loose on the universe itself. You've all seen what she can do." Toffee said with a fake concerned look.

"And why would we want that of all things?" Jackie asked.

"I can read each of your feelings like an open book….You all want revenge desperately. It's plain to see." Toffee laughed softly.

"Though I see that you may yet need a reminder of what she has done. Well then...allow me to show you what atrocities she has committed to each and every one of you…."

He then snapped his fingers, and a series of flashbacks began to play out.

First came the death of Hekapoo and River, the scorching of Ponyhead, the killing of Moon, the death of Marco's parents, and the murder of Jackie.

The screams, the pleading, and the satisfied look on Star and Janna's face while they killed off their victims. It was all too much for the four.

Jackie, Moon, and Hekapoo all grimaced and tried to look away, but the sight was horrific. It inspired some sort of rage within them.

Marco, however couldn't accept this. This was all just some silly game Toffee was playing with his and the other's heads.

This couldn't...This ISN'T the same Star that he called his best friend.

But yet, he could still remember the things she had said the say they had the argument….And he remembered that short bitter kiss she took from him.

"That didn't happen….I know that didn't happen! Star and Janna would never do that!" Marco yelled to Toffee.

"How sad...You cannot accept the simple fact that your precious friends have devolved into nothing more than instruments of evil. My deeds pale in comparison to what they could do..." Toffee sighed.

"What are you talking about?! You're the only bad guy here, right guys? Why would Star do any of that?" Marco yelled.

"Mr. Diaz….I am afraid….that she is much worse than you speak of her…" Moon said as she looked down.

"How can you even say that!? And to your own daughter-" Marco yelled.

"She is NOT my daughter. That….mind later has stripped me of everything earthling! My throne, my friends, my kingdom, my citizens, my loved one….She has taken Mewni and crushed it under her boot…" Moon boomed.

"She needs to be put down Marco. You need to understand that!" Hekapoo agreed.

"How am I supposed to understand something that's obviously stupid!?" Marco yelled back, getting in Hekapoo's face, standing on his toes to reach her height.

"Marco!" Jackie yelled, Marco going silent as he looked back at her.

"Don't you see what she's done?! Sure...We may have never had the connection you or Star did...But she was my friend too! But after all she's done….This is not the same Star….She killed all of us in cold blood….I can't just forgive her for that….." Jackie said as she looked into Mario's eyes.

"Bu-!" Marco said before Toffee stopped the two.

"Marco, I know that this is a hard decision for you to process, and I am a patient man. I will grant you one chance to see Star once more. There, you can judge for yourself if she is the monster we describe." Toffee offered.

"If I go….How can I know that I can trust you?" Marco asked as he looked back to Toffee.

"Trust me…? That's a question you'll have to answer after if you know you can trust Star. I assure you….I will be waiting for your eventual return." Toffee said as he opened the dark portal.

"Hmph...Yeah...We'll see about that…." under his breath.

"If she at least apologized...shows any remorse...then I know...I can save her..

" Marco said with determined eyes as he left for the portal.

"Marco…." Jackie said under her breath in worry.

"Well now that is settled, I believe I have some matters to discuss with you Moon, ones of grave importance…. You two may leave.." Toffee smirked as he clasped his hands behind his back.

"Grrr….We have nothing to talk about…." Hekapoo growled.

"Control your little imp Moon, or I will...," Toffee said as he stepped forward.

"Hekapoo... do this myself…" Moon said as she walked forward and stood eye to eye with Toffee.

"Good. Then I bid you two farewell…" Toffee smirked as he teleported Hekapoo and Jackie into a different room.

"How gallant of you...To think that you are still the proud, cold, and steel faced warrior you were when you struck me down. You're slipping Moon...For you to accept this deal, you must be truly desperate…" Toffee smirked.

"Desperation is not the word I would use…" Moon said as she glared at Toffee and grimaced.

"Look at you….With this spell, I have transformed you from the proud leader of Mewni to a shambling mercenary with no kindness in her heart. Just as you did to me, you vile WITCH!" Toffee said, his anger peaking at his last words.

"You took all that I had and wiped it out in one single blast…." Toffee seethed.

"You foolishly led your friends to death's door. You were a fool for doing so. You did it for what? Glory? Recognition? To make a name for yourself? To kill me?" Moon demanded.

"I did it for my HONOR! Of which you have none! How could you commit such a genocide of my people and you feel nothing!? Have you no shame!?" Toffee said as he banged his fist on the desk.

"You blamed me and made me an outcast of my people. Or what's left of my people…" Toffee said as he looked down.

"I am sorry-" Moon began to say before Toffee slapped her back.

"What folly is this? An apology? Oh no...Moon...My rage is far beyond the fixing by an apology!" Toffee yelled in her face.

"But enough of this….I grow weary of this conversation. I have said my piece, and you yours. There is nothing else to discuss. Now...it is time." Toffee said as he turned away from Moon.

"Why did you call me in here by myself Toffee? I know it wasn't just to rant about a subject that has consumed you for years. So...why have you called me here?" Moon demanded.

"To take that oh so precious will of yours…" Toffee smirked as he walked back to Moon.

"What?" Moon asked.

"Do you think I would...ask for your help? Ahahah...How stupid do you take me for?" Toffee laughed.

"I merely needed a reason to separate you. Corrupting three at once….That would be tiresome. However, corrupting you first would make Hekapoo all but putty in my hands. The girl would follow suit. She would be too afraid to fight, and without Marco, she will lose that cool attitude of her's in seconds." Toffee resounded.

"Well I'm afraid your plan has a flaw. And that is your assurance that you will succeed with me." Moon said as she summoned a magic sphere in her hand.

"How cute….That fierceness….it reminds the old days….But that will get you nowhere...No amount of will can save you from your new destiny…" Toffee said as he raised his hand in the air and a hexagram appeared around Moon.

Moon then felt a sharp pain in her head as she started to rise in the air.

Toffee smirked evilly as he watched the corruption of his old love.

She then fell to the floor, her head slumped over.

"Rise….Moon." Toffee said with a smirk as Moon did as she commanded.

As she stood up, she blinked her now black and dark green eyes.

*Back at the castle*

Star slowly opened her eyes to find herself burrowed into Janna's chest, overlooking the rising sun in the morning, it's pink and bright hues lighting up the sky and casting the stars away. For a minute she nuzzled up to her, before lightly tapping Janna on the nose.

"Hey….morning." She said as Janna's eyes fluttered open and looked at Star.

"*Yawn*...Morning Star…" Janna said as she got up and stretched a bit.

"Do you want to head over to the mess hall? I'm honestly kind of famished after all that.." Star laughed as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Sure, I'd love to." Janna agreed as she walked towards the door leading downstairs.

Star then walked up to Janna before going to hold her hand.

Janna blushed at this but smiled as she then walked with Star down to the mess hall.

The castle itself seemed a lot less dreary than usual, possibly due to Toffee's absence. The rays of sunlight had begun to peek through the massive curtains as Janna and Star walked down the hallway.

They then both grabbed whatever leftover food they could find and took note of it.

"I'll cook us breakfast. I may not be as good as Marco, but I can make one hell of an omelet!" Janna winked.

Star giggled at Janna's antics as she sat back and enjoyed this moment. It almost felt like life was back to normal….Or at least as normal as it could be…

It felt good not to be hounded by the fear….by her enemies...It felt good to relax.

However she and Janna both knew that this was no time to relax. Toffee is out there, doing who knows what.

"Janna….What are we going to do about Toffee?" Star asked Janna seriously.

Janna's expression changed to a serious one as she answered to Star.

"I honestly don't know….He could be anywhere, doing anything...We need to get some information on where he might be…." She said as she then placed the omelet for Star on a plate in front of her.

It was a bit charred on the edges, but overall it looked decent enough….better than her cooking to say the least.

"Before we do that...I think it's best if we hang back here….I can't fight properly with this injury. Even with healing magic, that would only numb the pain a bit." Star said sadly as she slid a finger down her back.

"Yeah….But at least we get the chance to rest for a bit….That hasn't been a thing since we got here…" Janna said as she started to munch on her omelet.

"I don't know if I can rest knowing that he's out there…." Star said darkly as she poked her omelet with her fork.

"Hey….We'll get him. Together." Janna said with a smile as Star soon donned her familiar excited smile.

"You're right Janna. Eheh….Look at that...I'm smiling for once...I almost forgot how to…" Star laughed to herself.

"Well hopefully you'll be doing more of that…." Janna said as she playfully punched Star's shoulder and hopped off the seat.

"Well anyways….I'm heading down to the training hall...Wanna come with?" Janna asked as she stretched a bit.

"Sure! Besides, we do need to make sure that we're ready for Toffee." Star said as she jumped off her seat to join Janna.

They eventually drew their weapons, Star her wand and Janna her sword.

"You ready?" Janna asked with a smirk.

"Born ready. Let's do this!" Star said, with some of her old spunk.

"Good….Here I come!" Janna said as she ran at Star made a swipe at her, Star jumping back and firing a blast and Janna.

Janna cast a barrier and then advanced forward with the barrier in place.

"Not bad...But how about this…?" Star said as she shot herself in the air, her magic propelling her forward.

She then kicked on Janna's shield, breaking it as Janna staggered back.

"That's a new one….Alright...Let's try this…" Janna said as she shot a flurry of dark arrows in the air above Star.

Star then looked in confusion as Janna ran at her.

"Hate to break it to you Janna….But ya missed…" Star said as she took a defensive stance, ready to dodge Janna's sword.

"I don't know…" Janna said with a coy smile as she rolled to the side and kicked Star back where a swarm of arrows awaited her.

"What?" Star says in surprise as she flew back.

"Looks to me like you looked too soon." Janna playfully winked as she sent her cascade of arrows down upon Star.

Star then braced herself for the attack, but it never came.

"So…..I think that's enough practice for one day…Looks like I managed to win one, eh? " Janna smirked as she walked over to Star and offered a hand down to her.

"You just got lucky because of that terrible omelet." Star joked.

"Oh really? And you were the one who wanted one." Janna joked back. This elicited a giggle from Star as she slid her wand in her pouch.

Suddenly, a dark vortex opened in front of it, and out came a deep black card, with Toffee's signature on it.

"This card….It's from him…." Star said as she looked at it in confusion.

"I have brought you a gift Mewnian...perhaps you'll enjoy it. I would prefer your last moments be one of peace." Star said before she shuddered a bit.

"Well that's...unsettling…" Janna said with an unnerved look.

"You're right about that...What could he mean?" Star asked herself before she saw a flashing light in front of them.

In the flash of light, the shadow of a young man could be seen within it.

"What the heck?" Janna said as she and Star covered their eyes.

The light then dissipated as the young man fell to the floor with a thud.

Star and Janna unshielded their eyes as they stared at the newcomer with caution.

"Is that...a person?" Janna asked.

"Maybe...But I'm not so sure….You go check it out…." Star said as she pushed Janna forward.

"*Sigh*...Fine…" Janna said as she inched forward and held her sword out, ready for any attack.

"Hey...Get up!" Janna said. The young man did as he held his head, most likely hurting from his fall.

Star looked at the young man face and instantly recognized him.

"Marco…?" Star asked as she stepped out from behind Janna.

"Star?" Marco said as he looked up at the two.

*Back with Hekapoo and Jackie

Jackie sat in the dark hall, sitting in the corner with a concerned expression on her face.

Hekapoo was pacing about, worried sick about Moon.

"What's taking them so long?" She said as she crossed her arms.

"I dunno. Hopefully nothing big." Jackie said, trying to be the voice of reason.

"Yeah...hopefully you're right…" Hekapoo sighed before she noticed a teleportation spell appear around them.

As they entered the room, they noticed Toffee standing over a fireplace, Moon bowing to him with her back turned. Hekapoo was completely baffled by this and demanded an explanation.

"Moon! What are doing bowing to him?! Are you-" Hekapoo began before Moon stood up and stared at her with an empty stare, her dark green eyes almost glowing in the dark.

"What the…? What did you do to her?!" Hekapoo yelled as she summoned her daggers and Jackie backed away.

"What will happen to you my friend. Don't you see, the only way to restore peace to the world is by destroying her. The only way to restore all our honor. And you, Jackie, don't you want revenge on Star for killing you and so many people?" Moon asked as she gestured to the two.

"I-...I.." Hekapoo said as she started to waver, her daggers pointed at Moon.

"Don't resist me. You know you don't have the heart to do it.." Moon stated.

"Come with me Hekapoo. Please…" Moon said as she offered a hand to Hekapoo.

Hekapoo closed her eyes and clenched her fists before she drooled her daggers.

"Fine….You win…" She said as she took Moon's hand and Jackie stood there in fear.

"Excellent...I knew you'd see our way…" Toffee smirked as he casted the spell once more on her.

In a matter of time, Hekapoo had matching eyes with Moon. She then stood beside her as she and Moon looked at Jackie, their eyes glowing eerily in the darkness.

"Oh no…." Jackie said silently as she backed away from the two.

"Get away from me…" Jackie warned the two as she continued to back away from both of them.

"Hmph. Why should they? What could you possibly do to us? Throw a skateboard?" Toffee asked as he approached her.

"Another human in my grasp….I wonder...Will you be more promising than Janna?" Toffee pondered as he raised his hands at her.

"Like I would ever let you do that to me!" Jackie yelled as she started to run away from them.

"How adorable….You cannot escape me little girl...Moon, detain her." Toffee commanded.

Moon nodded as she sent a few magical chains to bind Jackie.

"Gah!" She screamed as she fell to the ground and clawed at it as Moon pulled her close to Toffee.

"Eheheh….Now...let us begin…" Toffee said with an evil smirk as his hand raised his hands once more at her.

*Back at the castle*

"What are you guys-" Marco began to ask before Star ran up and tackled him to the floor.

"I missed you so much…."Star cried as Marco just looked stunned.

"I...missed you too…" Marco said as he nuzzled her hair before standing up and offering her a hand. She took it glad fully and smiled wide at him.

Marco then turned to Janna with a smile on his face as well.

"Janna...It's really great to see you again...You been holding up well?" Marco asked.

Janna felt strangely. To see Marco before her again in the flesh, it honestly felt amazing. But yet...she could remember what was on Toffee's card.

A gift….Was Marco it..? And if that was the case, how and why did Toffee bring him back to life…?

"As good as I can…." Janna shrugged before she put a hand on his shoulder.

"But Marco….HOW are you alive?" Janna asked with a confused expression as she looked at Marco.

"Well….I really...don't know to be honest…" Marco lied as he rubbed his head.

"I see…" Janna said raising an eyebrow.

"Well...at least your back!" Star said with a big smile.

"Yeah...It's good to be back...So tell me, what happened? I want to know all the cool stuff I've done while I was gone." Marco said as he sat down on the couch.

"Oh...Uh...Trust me...Its nothing note worthy...Just doing some lame homework or something…" Star lied nonchalantly.

"Oh come on...You must have done something right?" Marco asked with a smirk.

"Trust me...Nothing happened Marco." Janna announced as she leaned back in her chair.

"Well we're totally not in Echo Creek….so...there's a story…" Marco laughed before he got up.

"Let's not worry about that now….We're just glad you're back!" Star smiled.

"Hey guys….Wouldn't suppose you guys have something to eat around here would ya? I haven't eaten in awhile because, ya know, being dead and stuff." Marco laughed as he looked around.

"Oh! It should be in the mess hall." Star said as she pointed down the hall.

Marco thanked her and left, while Janna pulled Star aside.

"What's up Janna?" Star asked.

"Look….Something about this doesn't feel right...Something's off….After Toffee disappears, Marco suddenly teleport in our kitchen….It does not add up at all." Janna said as she closed her eyes, leaned back on the wall, and crossed her arms.

"Come on Janna. You can't be serious about this." Star pouted as she looked at her.

"As serious as this sword is sharp. But Star, this just seems too convenient for my liking." Janna said.

Star then looked at Janna in disbelief as Janna put her hand on her hip.

"Star, what if this is a trap? Toffee did say he was a "gift". He could have done anything to him, and if we let our guard down...he could do anything." Janna reasoned.

"Look Star...I know he's your best friend...And I care too. I'm not saying treat the plague, because who knows? He might just be the real Marco. But if he isn't, and he's some kind of evil imposter, then we need to be on high alert. I'm just letting you know to not let your guard down just yet." Janna said in a softer tone as she grabbed Star's hand.

"*Sigh* You're right Janna….I think we need to keep everything that happened from him….I just don't know if I'm ready to face him with that just yet…" Star said as she looked down and clenched her fist.

"I understand. If he is the real deal, then you should talk to him when you're ready." Janna said as she put a hand on her shoulder and smiled gently.

"Thanks…" Star said as Marco came walking back up to the two.

"So….Not to be hasty...But when are we going home? I kinda wanna see how Ferguson and Alfonso are doing." Marco laughed.

"Um...You...sure about that?" Star asked warily.

"I'm pretty sure. Don't you want to go back home?" Marco asked as he began drinking his juice.

"I do...but not yet." Star said as she looked out to the window.

"I have something I need to do here. Toffee is still out there Marco, and I can't go back until he's gone." Star said as to the ground for a moment.

Janna followed his eyes and narrowed hers for a second.

"Fact is….If we came home, we'd bring more trouble than good." Janna said.

"Oh come on, who would possibly want to pick a fight on you? We beat him before. Even if he's back, there's no way he could hurt us. I'm sure we'll be fine, now let's go." Marco smiled.

"Marco, we're not going." Star said as she crossed her arms.

"Why are you acting so hesitant about this Star?" Marco asked as he raised his eyebrow in suspicion.

"There's nothing to hide Marco. Now let's just drop it….okay?" Star said with a bit more force as she turned away from him.

"Alright….Well...I'm gonna go up on the castle rampart for a bit…" Marco said as he began to walk upstairs.

He entered the room and plopped on the bed.

"She lied to me….Right in my face..Do they really think I'm that stupid? If they had just told me…." Marco thought as he looked down to the floor.

"Maybe Toffee was right about them….But….Should I really side with him…? I just can't think good things about the guy…" Marco thought to himself.

"And to just up and serve him….I don't think I could handle that for long, but…"

Marco then sighed deeply as he held the bridge of his nose.

"If they had told me why they had done it…..If they had explained themselves...They could have.." Marco mumbled as he punched the bed before a dark portal opened up next to him.

Marco then walked through it, finding Toffee by himself in a room with his back to him.

"So...How was your dear reunion?" Toffee asked Marco.

"You...were right….She lied to me...It's as if she doesn't even care about what she's done..The things she's caused…" Marco muttered angrily.

"That's what she does Marco. She kills and kills and kills…..She won't stop. She can't stop…" Toffee said as he took a sip of his wine.

"My offer still stands boy….You have the opportunity to put this monster to rest, but it's your choice to make…" Toffee said as he held out his hand for Marco to shake.

"But even if that's the case, I don't want to hurt her. That would make me just as bad as she is." Marco said softly as he grabbed his arm.

"You don't realize that this is far beyond morals, human." Moon's voice said from the darkness.

"I'm pretty sure that's not how it works. Besides, I'm still not sure about working with Toffee. It seems too risky." Marco said back before another voice popped up.

"But don't you want revenge on her?….For everything she's done….For all the lives she's taken..You know the risks of her walking around again. She has the power now to do whatever she wants. Are you just gonna let that happen doofus?" Hekapoo's voice said.

"I don't….But…" Marco said, wavering a bit. He did need to think about this. What if Star suddenly returned back to her dark ways? She seemed fine with Janna now, but either of them could decide that's not enough….But would they really…?

Jackie stepped out, her eyes hidden by her bangs.

"Marco...This is something we need to do." Jackie said softly.

"No Jackie...I- I can't…" Marco said as he looked away.

"You know more than anyone else..don't you?" Marco said before Jackie looked up, him seeing her new eyes.

"Marco, I don't know….I didn't know that she would kill your parents...I didn't know that she would kill me….But she did...She's more different than us then I ever realized….She's a monster..." Jackie said angrily as she gripped onto his shoulder and glared at him.

"Jackie...What happened to you?...What did you to her!?" Marco said in fear as he tried to pull away, however Jackie had an iron grip.

Both Moon and Hekapoo came out from the darkness as Toffee walked up to Marco's face.

"I have done nothing….I've just allowed them to see beyond the pettiness of their decisions and open their minds. Now they all see the future I intend to make." Toffee explained.

"Yeah! Some kind of apocalypse, am I right!?" Marco yelled as he struggled in Jackie's grip.

"It seems you misunderstood my intentions...I never meant for you to willingly join me. That would never happen." Toffee smirked as he raised his hand to Marco.

"You let all of them go Toffee...Now!" Marco yelled.

"Silence." Toffee said as he activated the spell once more, slowly corrupting Marco as he screamed out in pain.

"Did you think you could resist me? How aspiring…." Toffee said with a bored expression as he looked at the suffering Marco.

"Aaaaa! You'll….never...get away with this...Star will stop you….She may have changed...but…" Marco grunted as his eyelids began to get heavy as he lost the strength to fight as he fell to the floor.

Toffee then knelt down and picked Marco up by his chin and forced him to look at his face.

"Star? You think she'll save you? She hasn't changed Marco. She has bbeen this monster the whole time….This is what she is….A killer and a murderer….of your family...of your girlfriend. You would do best to remember that and not rely on someone like her…." Toffee said as Mario's consciousness finally faded as he submitted to the corruption and fell to the ground.

After a few minutes, Toffee smirked as he looked at the fireplace and stared at it intensely.

"So….You are aware of the plan….yes?" Toffee asked as he turned to the four people behind him.

They all nodded yes as they opened their eyes, now a dark green, the white in their eyes now a deep black.

"I'll carve my name into her heart...with these…" Hekapoo grunted, twirling her daggers in her hand as Moon nodded.

"As the last of my line, I will rid this menace once and for all…" Moon said darkly as she prepared her magic sword.

"She's going to pay. For me, for the lives she's taken….I'm going to enjoy every minute of this….." Marco seethed as he looked to Janna as he put his fist in his hand.

"I wouldn't mind returning the favor of the hole in my chest…" Jackie said with an evil smirk as she produced a dark fire spell in her hands.

"Excellent….Now Marco...I believe it's time for you to meet your precious friend once more…" Toffee smirked as he opened the portal once more.

"I can't wait…" Marco smirked.

*Back at the castle*

"Where is he?" Star said with worry as she looked around for Marco upstairs.

"He hasn't come back yet….Think he went and got lost?" Janna asked.

"I don't know….but the last thing we need is him getting hurt because I forgot to check up on him." Star said as she continued to look around.

"Star!" Marco called as Star and Janna looked behind them, Star running up to him.

"Oh my gosh! Where were you?" Star asked as Marco shrugged.

"I was in my room, before I walked around the castle. I guess….I must have gotten lost or something…" Marco lied as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Well...the castle is pretty big…" Star shrugged as she laughed a bit.

"Yeah….Uh-huh…." Janna said as she narrowed her eyes at Marco once more.

"I need to tell you how I got here….Well..I was dead I guess...But then Toffee revived me, and he tried to force me to join him. I think I was able to get away from him….But before I got out of there, I know he said something to me." Marco explained as he shook his head.

"And what's that?" Star asked.

"I think he's going to come to Earth…" Marco said as he faked an expression of worry.

"What!?" Star and Janna both say as Marco looks back at them.

"Why did you wait to tell us?" Janna demanded as she packed her sword in her scabbard.

"Because my memory was still really fuzzy..

I'm sorry you two…" Marco apologized.

"Well….you were kinda dead for a bit…." Star shrugged as she stood beside him.

"True….But we do need to go back home, now. I'm sorry...But there are people there I want to protect on there." Marco said as he looked up at her.

"We know Marco….And the same goes for us..We can't just let Toffee wreck our home." Star said as she focused her energy and created a dark portal for them to travel to Earth.

"Alright then….Let's go...is everyone ready?" Janna asked as she looked to the two.

"Totally!" Star said as she drew her wand.

However, when Janna looked to Marco, she noticed that he had an evil smile on his face, his eyes fixated on Star. And for a split second, she saw that his eyes were a dark green with black where white should have been…..Just like when she was manipulated by Toffee…

Janna narrowed her eyes before it all turned to normal, and Marco once again had that expression on his face and his eyes had turned back to regular brown.

She shook it off and then walked with the three into the portal, and what they saw was a massacre.

The place was set ablaze...buildings burned and homes destroyed. The flames rose up higher and higher as screams of panic resounded through their ears. Blood splattered the streets, as people shoved others down to get away from whatever menace had caused this. Star and Janna both backed up in fear as they looked upon this.

"No….My home….My family…" Janna said in fear as she remembered this sight all too well.

"Everything's gone…..The school...The buildings…" Star said hopelessly.

"Come on…" Marco said as he turned away from the two.

Janna then turned to rage at Marco. Maybe it was his coldness that had shocked her. Maybe it was her slight jealousy at him. But one thing angered Janna the most.

He had the nerve to just move them along. After witnessing this, he should be showing some emotion.

"No I will not "come on!" You think any of us could soldier through what we just saw?"Janna demanded as she glared at Marco.

"Well I'm really surprised that you feel anything at all…" Marco muttered as he continued walking.

"Is he taking this lightly….?" Janna seethed as she had a hand on her sword.

"Woah, calm down Janna. I'm sure he's just more focused in saving the others, right?" Star said quietly to Janna.

"Let me go talk to him…"Star said.

"What's up with him?" Janna asked silently as she walked up to Marco, leaving Janna a bit behind.

"Marco….?" Star asked as they walked under a crumbling building, bits and pieces of it falling down.

"Hey Star." Jackie said as she stepped out from an alleyway.

"Jackie!? What?" Star said as Jackie stepped forward.

"You know….I thought I'd be seeing you two here….So...how's it going?" Jackie asked with a smirk.

The two were dumbfounded as Marco smiled at her.

Just then, a citizen came running up to them, tripping on a piece of rubble.

"Aw man, looks like I forgot one…" Janna said as she blasted a dark fire blast at him. The man shrieked in agony as Star backed up in fear and Janna glared angrily at Jackie.

"What the hell… You just KILLED HIM!" Janna yelled at her.

"Yeah...And just about every person for another two blocks. Something wrong?" Jackie said nonchalantly.

"You did this….?" Janna asked quietly as she clenched her fists.

"You-" Janna yelled before Jackie teleported up to her face.

"Monster…? Like you and Star?" She smirked evilly as she blasted Janna back into the wall hard.

"Janna!" Star said in concern as she tried to run to her before Marco blocked her path.

"Marco? What are you doing?" Star asked fearfully as he looked down at her with a sinister smile.

"Not so fast Star…You're not going anywhere..." Marco said as he pushed Star back. His eyes now were dark green with the white in them turned black.

"You're helping her!? This has all just been some trick by Toffee, wasn't it!? Have you...been lying this whole time…?" Star said in fear as she began to back away from him.

For a moment, he just laughed at her. He continued laughing and laughing, until finally he stopped and smirked.

"Funny….I should be asking you the same question…." Marco said venomously as he clenched his fists.

"What do you mean…?" Star said as she backed away a bit.

"Oh you know pretty well, don't you Star….If that's what I can even call you anymore…." Marco said as he advanced to Star.

"I know...how you killed everyone….My mom...My dad...Ponyhead… Jackie...Everyone….And I can't sit by any longer and allow such a demon….such a menace to exist anymore. I'm going to enjoy every minute of this Star...I promise you…" Marco said with a victorious smirk.

"This is your home, you two! Why...why would you destroy it!? The people here had no right to die!" Star yelled.

Just then, a large red portal opened up, revealing Hekapoo, Moon and Toffee. They all and Jackie stepped up to Marco as they stared at Star with downright haunting smiles.

"Then by your logic, the citizens of Mewni had no right to die. But they were eradicated by you nonetheless." Moon said darkly.

"Its real funny that now you show some damn empathy, when you're going to be on your deathbed…" Hekapoo said.

"And on this rotten ground, shall we make your grave Star. A utter waste of space holds the body of a murderer. How absolutely fitting." Toffee said as he looked at Star.

"You have made your decision long ago Star. Now step up and face your destiny." Moon said coldly.

"You've had it for a LONG time coming you demon…" Hekapoo said darkly as she drew her daggers.

"Are you ready Diaz? Just remember to save some of her for me." Jackie reminded.

"I think she might pull off a hole in her chest pretty well."

"Fine...But don't make it too fast...I want to make sure she suffers before we get the deed done." Marco said as he stepped forward and pounded his fists together.

The voices continued to hound in her head and outside. The demented insults at her own expense, the threats of what they would do to her coming from the people she admired the most….it was haunting...debilitating.

She couldn't take it anymore, she couldn't focus on anything but them.

Star backed away in utter fear, and ran away to a nearby collapsing circus.

"Shall we finish her…?" Moon asked.

"I wanna have a bit of fun with her first….This would be an amazing opportunity to at least test my new powers…." Jackie said as she had a creepy smile on her face as her hands glowed in a weird aura.

"All yours." Marco said as he hugged Jackie as she opened a portal.


	17. Chapter 17- Judgement

**(Hey everyone, here it is! The epic climax and second to last chapter of the story. Big shutouts to robertkellet and Immanuel for your reviews. And remember guys, keep commenting! I always strive to make this story the best that it can be? ﾟﾑﾉ** **)**

Chapter 17: Judgement

Janna looked on in complete horror as she stared at the scene before.

"Star! Wait!" Janna said as she tried to run after her, but a dagger went whizzing past her neck.

"Don't think so...Before I move on to her….I have a score to settle with you…" Hekapoo said as she retrieved her dagger with a portal.

"Out of the way…" Janna growled as she drew her sword and activated her aura.

"Not going to happen...Oo! I just got an idea. What if I show off your corpse to her, and I'll have my initials carved into your chest...How does that sound?" Hekapoo asked with a maddening smile as she prepared to strike.

Everything that happened was going too fast for her mind to process as she stared in horror at her two of former friends who bore the same eyes that her corrupted side had. It was sickening and disturbing, and the cruel and malicious smiles on their faces made the experience all too surreal.

The fires that roared through the streets, the screams of the people...the horrid chorus roared in her ears as she looked at the approaching Hekapoo.

She had done many horrible things in her life...She had even stood by and watched the suffering of others...But this...This was INHUMAN…

"What's wrong….? Are you scared of me…?" Hekapoo taunted as she drew her daggers.

"All these people….Gone…" Janna said as she clenched her fists.

"Oh? Are you going to throw a hissy fit about me killing your poor…."friends"? How hypocritical of you…" Hekapoo mocked as she walked up to Janna.

"Grrr…" Janna grumbled as she unsheathed her sword and took an offensive stance against Hekapoo.

"So you are going to fight? Good….At least you have some dignity in your last moments…" Hekapoo smirked.

"You know you can't beat me…" Janna said darkly as she cracked her knuckles and ran at Hekapoo, taking a slice at her.

Janna then saw her sword make contact, before feeling a rush of wind behind her.

"I wouldn't say that…" Hekapoo said with a smirk as she kicked Janna back hard, sending her to the floor.

Hekapoo then jumped in the air to end Janna, the earthling just managing to get up and block the attack.

Their blades met again and again, but Janna was quickly realizing the new gap in skill level between the two. Every strike was poised and perfect, almost hungry for the chance to find an opening. Yet with each strike, Janna could tell that Hekapoo was merely toying with her. Testing her ability….But for what purpose…?

"You aren't even taking this seriously? I thought you wanted revenge?" Janna taunted, but Hekapoo's smirking face did my change.

"Oh trust me...This is all part of the fun…" Hekapoo said as she rushed at Janna once more, Janna barely managing to block every one of her strikes.

Janna then blasted an ice spell at Hekapoo, to which she created a portal to send it flying elsewhere.

"That all you got…? Because I'm getting bored…" Hekapoo said as she twirled her daggers once more and leg sweeped Janna, kicking her back once more.

"Gah!" Janna yelled out in pain.

Hekapoo then slowly approached before she felt a quick hand on the shoulder.

"Now I can't let you have all the fun, now can I?" Marco said as he stepped forward.

"I guess I can't…" Hekapoo said with a smirk as she sheathed her daggers and stared down Janna.

"Guys, I know this isn't you! It's just Toffee manipulating you!" Janna yelled out.

"Oh would you give it a rest already?" Marco sighed as he took a fighting stance himself.

Janna cursed internally as she readied her sword once more and took a swing at Marco. However, Marco dodged it with ease as he grabbed the tip of Janna's sword.

"What the…?" Janna said as her eyes widened.

Marco then smirked evilly as he kicked her sword away and socked her in the gut. He then finished with a leg sweep, knocking her down and away from him.

Janna was at a complete loss for words as she saw Marco fight her. Had everyone suddenly become as good as fighting as Toffee…?

"Are you shocked? Scared…? Because honestly I would if I were in your situation." Marco smirked as he picked her up by the collar and threw her into the wall once more.

Janna scowled at Marco as she then blasted him back with a fire spell, giving her a bit of room to get away.

"Oh Janna...You should know by now that you can't beat us." Marco said as he approached Janna.

"It doesn't matter what you think..Now get out of my way…" Janna seethed.

"Its really funny, you know…? You think you're a hero...That you're here to save our friends. But you and I both know that's not your goal at all...You could care less if they died or not. Just like you already took a few lives here." Marco said darkly as he punched Janna back, knocking the wind out of her.

"You're here to get your petty vengeance on Toffee...aren't you? Doesn't seem like quite the heroic thing now does it..?" Marco sighed.

"And you think you're the hero of this story?! You're more dense than I thought Marco!" Janna laughed as she charged at Marco once again, only ending up on laid flat on the ground, her sword knocked out of her hand.

"Not really….But I do know that it'll be pretty satisfying to end you right here and right now." Marco smirked as he grabbed her sword and prepared to make the final blow.

Janna could only stare in horror as she watched Marco raise her blade to her chest.

"But I don't think killing you right here would be worth it….I want to make you suffer...Death is way too good for a monster like you…" Marco said evilly.

"Maybe I'll keep Star alive….Or maybe I'll bring her here and kill her right in front of you...Oh man, I've got so many choices." Marco said as he put his hand to his chin.

"You're calling ME the monster!? You must have some nerve-" Janna began to say before Marco kicked her in the face.

"Oh would you shut up already?" Marco hissed as he then looked at the time.

"Hmmm...I'm getting bored of this...I'll be back later after I have some fun with Star…" Marco smirked as he asked Hekapoo to activate a portal for him.

"Could you keep an eye on her? I don't want her to die just yet….But if she gets up again...Feel free to do whatever you want to her." Marco said.

"Alright. Just don't leave me here for long." Hekapoo smirked as she cracked her knuckles.

Marco then left through the red portal, leaving just Hekapoo and Janna standing there.

*With Star

Star had ran...and ran..and ran..and never looked back. Her tears had impaired her vision, so she ended up in a new place. It was dark, and it seemed to be a maze of mirrors surrounding her distorted her shape in various ways, twisting into elongated forms of herself.

"I must have run into some carnival booth or something…." Star reasoned as she dries her tears.

She then laid down on the ground and held her head.

She had so many questions in her head.

So many unanswered questions buzzing about.

Would she make it out alive?

Is Janna okay?

How did Toffee bring back all the people she killed?

Did Marco and Jackie mean what they said…?

Those thoughts kept resounding in her head before she heard a noise. A distant footstep, accompanied by a drip of water.

"Someone's here…" Star said in fear as she stood up quietly and looked around. No one seemed to be around or behind her.

"Maybe it was my imagination…" Star sighed before she saw something out of the corner of her eye….A...floating head…?

Star then kept walking forward before she heard a whisper in her ear.

" _Why...Why did you do this to me…?"_

"Who's there!?" Star asked as she turned around and drew her wand.

" _You think you could forget about us….?"_ The voice repeated again.

"Who are you!? S-Show yourself!" Star demanded, but her confidence had already been stripped from her.

" _Wow B-Fly...You can't even remember your ''friends'?"_ A familiar voice stated.

"P-Ponyhead…" Star said fearfully as she started to back up. She then looked into the mirrors and finally saw her long dead friend. However, her appearance was horrific. Her body was a charred black, with pieces of disfigured flesh jutting out of her skin.

"Oh god…" Star said in horror.

" _What's wrong Star? You and Janna knew what would happen to me when you casted that spell. So why are you scared girl?"_ Pony head said casually as it moved from mirror to mirror.

"Stop it….Go away!" Star yelled as she started to run away.

" _Not so fast B-Fly….I'm not going away just yet .."_ Ponyhead said as she smirked, or whatever you could the chunk of mass standing before her lifting up.

"You're….You're not real!" Star yelled as she started to back away from the mirrors.

" _But Star...We are real….Or did you forget all the people you've hurt…?"_ A new voice said as the images of Mr. and Mrs. Diaz appeared in the mirrors.

" _We always thought of you as our daughter_

... _And you would still kill us in cold blood._

 _Why...Why…?"_ Mrs. Diaz said in a hollow voice.

"I'm sorry! Please! Just make it stop!" Star cried out in vain as she held her head but kept backing up.

Mr. and Mrs. Diaz's bodies looked rotten as well, and she had noticed the gaping hole in their chest region. It was horrific….

" _But Star….Are you sorry…? You said that much too many times…"_ Another voice said. The voice...of her father.

"D-Dad…?" Star said as tears fell on her face.

" _It would all be easier...with you gone…." River said._

Her father's body had a huge gash on it, as well as a sword still impaled within his chest. Dried blood had been scattered across it as well.

At that moment, a chorus of agreement was heard by Star as she now assumed the fetal position, trying desperately to block out the voices.

She then closed her eyes for a second, and when she opened them, she found herself in a field of flowers.

"H-How..?" Star shivered in fear before she looked to see a familiar face.

"Star….Come on…" Marco said as he suddenly appeared next to Star, with a bright smile on his face. His eyes were once again, that soft chocolatey color.

"Come with us...Aren't you just...tired of it all..?" Jackie said, with her own smile. Her eyes had returned to her sparkling green ones.

Star really was tired of everything. Hurting people, pushing away loved ones, everything. The world would be better off without her….wouldn't it….?

No more pain...no more suffering….It would be all she ever wanted...Her old life and her old friends back again…

*With Janna

"You're just gonna stand by and let them do whatever they want!?" Janna grunted as she started to get up from her previous injuries.

"Why wouldn't I? A monster like her deserves everything that's coming to her….And don't think that you're safe either…" Hekapoo said darkly as she drew her daggers and kicked Janna down to the ground once more.

"Aaahh!" Janna screamed in pain as she fell to the ground.

"Why do you keep fighting Janna? It's just stupid at this point…" Hekapoo smirked as she started to activate a portal to join Marco and Jackie.

"...I fight for her….I fight to make sure she sees another day...I thought you of all people would get that…" Janna coughed.

"You BITCH!" Hekapoo screamed in primal fury as she whipped around and sliced at Janna, causing a gash in her cheek.

"You two took EVERYTHING that I fought for! Or did you already forget what you two did?!" Hekapoo grunted.

"Well who do you fight for now...huh? That's right..Toffee...Wasn't he the one that set up your doomed marriage in the first place? Isn't he to blame? Or did you forget that!?" Janna said as she drew her sword.

"Shut it!" Hekapoo said as she charged at Janna, not thinking first as Janna sidestepped her.

"No I won't! I get it, you're-" Janna said before Hekapoo screamed once more, swiping at her again.

"You could never understand the pain, the suffering you've caused!" Hekapoo said.

Janna then brought her sword against her daggers, the sound of steel meeting steel resounding through the air. The two clashed for what seemed to be a long time, until Janna finally managed to push Hekapoo back.

Janna then ran forward as she positioned her blade to strike at Hekapoo's chest. Janna then plunged the blade deep into Hekapoo's chest, failing to notice the ever growing smirk on her face as she did so.

Blood sprayed the field as Hekapoo's flame started to flicker out, and soon she fell to the floor.

Janna then narrowed her eyes as she waited to make sure Hekapoo was down for the count.

Janna then heard a desperate scream in the distance, which brought her attention back to Star.

"Star! Hold on!" Janna said as she started to run after her, pushing through the multiple injuries she had received earlier.

*With Star

"Once you come home, I'll bake you the biggest batch of nachos. That way all 3 of us can share!" Marco said as he gave her a thumbs up.

"Yeah...It'll be fun!" Jackie cheered.

"Going back home...with you two…?" Star asked with a hopeful expression.

"Right. All you have to do is give up...Don't fight anymore." Marco said.

"What good has fighting done for you?" Jackie said.

"You're right…." Star whispered as she noticed Jackie handing her a dagger.

Star took the dagger within her hand as she looked down at it as if it were a foreign object.

Star then raised the dagger to her throat as she was preparing to do the deed.

The spirits roared louder in agreement as they pushed her to push the dagger further.

 _Do it…._

 _Do it…!_

 _DO IT….!_

As Star felt a tear slide down her face, she then realized one thing before she used the dagger.

"Wait...what about Janna…?" Star asked with an innocent tone.

"Jackie isn't coming….She's not ready…" Marco said darkly.

This seemed to spark something in Star's fractured psyche, bringing a moment of clarity to her.

"What…? But she needs to come too! I'm not leaving without her…" Star said as she backed away a bit. It was at this time that Jackie's grip tightened on her hand.

"You're coming with us...Forget about Janna. It was easy to do so before….right?" Marco asked.

This was the final straw, and she knew right then and there that this was some kind of trick.

Star then turned away from him as she looked at the ground, contemplating what they said.

Forget about her…? The one person who gave her joy in her life again...No...She couldn't...She WOULDN'T!

"No! I'm not going to! You expect me to just up and leave her...?" Star scowled as she fought against Jackie's grip.

The scenery then changed back into the wasteland she had seen before, with Jackie and Marco's eyes warping back into their creepy black and dark green hues.

"I see...It would have been a lot better for you if you just decided to do it…" Marco sighed in disappointment.

"Well I see we won't be able to do this the easy way then….A slow and painful death is fine by me though." Jackie smirked as she took a battle stance and blasted Star back with a black beam.

"Aaaa!" Star grunted as she hit the wall.

"So, you ready Diaz?" Jackie asked as she walked to Marco.

"More ready than ever…." Marco smirked as he ran at Star, aimimg to engage in hand to hand combat with her.

Star barely managed to steel herself as she was able to block Marco's first attack, but was unable to read his leg sweep.

She recovered with a backflip and then jumped off the wall to launch a kick at Marco. He blocked and slid back a bit, and then looked at Star with an evil smile.

"Wow...You've gotten better Star. Too bad that won't help you against us…." Marco said as he roundhouse kicked Star in the chest.

Jackie then appeared behind her and blasted her back to Marco, to which her elbowed her in the gut.

At the sudden change of momentum, Star lost all the air in her as she fell to the ground, clutching her stomach.

"What's wrong? Can't handle it?" Jackie said as she summoned a storm of dark tendrils to pierce Star.

Star managed to dodge the first strike, and blocked it the second with a magical barrier.

What she didn't anticipate was Marco running up to kick her in the face after her barrier was down, sending her sprawling across the floor.

Star was quickly realizing her futility in fighting both of them. They were both as fast and smart as her, and fighting them both was putting her at a major disadvantage.

But she knew that if she didn't fight, she might as well accept death right then and there.

Star then charged at Jackie and went to punch her, but Jackie dodged and blasted her down with another dark beam. Marco then followed up with an uppercut to her jaw and finished with a shoulder charge.

Star flew back into the wall once more. She was left panting and wheezing, already out of breath, stamina, and the ability to fight.

"Please….stop this…" Star begged her former friends, which only made their twisted smiles grow even larger.

"Why would we stop….? You didn't stop when you blasted me, did you? No...you let your stupid jealousy kill me off. Not one moment to think….Not one moment to consider that you were in the wrong…." Jackie said as she walked up to Star.

"I wanted to be friends Star...I TRUSTED YOU! And what did I get for doing that?... My relationship ruined and a hole through my chest…." Jackie seethed as she picked up Star by the collar.

"I thought we were cool, but I guess I was wrong. So I won't stop this….This will go on until you're ready to die…" Jackie said with a maniacal smile as she smashed Star's head into the wall.

Star's vision was starting to get blurry as she felt some blood trickle down from her head, which was pounding endlessly.

"Just give it up Star...Just think...Where will you go after this if you were to survive? What'll you do?" Marco asked.

"Earth hates you, Mewni hates you, most of the dimensions want you dead….Nobody loves you Star. Not even Janna." Marco said with an evil smirk.

"Not even me." Marco said as Jackie then threw her back onto the pavement.

"Would you go back into hiding like the coward you are?" Jackie taunted as she crossed her arms.

Marco then picked the dagger Star had thrown away and leveled it at Star's head.

"Forget the plan….I don't think I can handle seeing your face any more…" Marco said with venom.

"Don't you dare!" Janna yelled as she ran up to punch Marco in the face, knocking him backwards.

He held his face in pain before he smirked.

"It's about time you arrived...Now you can see us cut down Star like an old weed." Jackie said as she turned to Janna.

"I never thought you'd sink so low….I thought you were better than this Jackie-" Janna began to say before Jackie casted a spell at her to blast her back.

"Me..? Sink low? Do you know how much you sound like a hypocrite right now Janna? You're making me out to be some kind of bad guy here…." Jackie shouted as she fired an endless barrage of spells at Janna.

Janna tried to dodge them all, but one fire spell clipped her shoulder and brought her down to the ground.

"Aaa!" Janna screamed in pain as she to the ground, barely able to stand once more.

Just then, a red portal opened to reveal Hekapoo, Moon, and Toffee.

"What!... How are you alive!?" Janna asked in anger as Hekapoo smirked.

"You really think you stopped me that easily…? I was merely warming up...I'd love to show you what I can really do….But I don't think I want to prolong the inevitable…" Hekapoo said with a dangerous glint in her eye as she grabbed one of her dimensional daggers.

"Mom…? You too…?" Star asked in fear as she looked at her mother, whose eyes were also dark green with black.

"You do not have the right to call me that anymore...You despicable beast…." Mokn said coldly as she stepped away from Toffee and entered her Mewberty form, a snarl on her face as she did so.

"On this day, we shall rid you from this place so that you may never harm another person again…." Moon said as she blasted at Star, Star barely managing to put up a magical barrier.

The barrier gave way immediately as she was bounced back to where Janna was.

"Star!" Janna yelled as she ran up to her, only to get blasted by Moon, sending her back. Jackie then took the opportunity to blast Janna forward, sending Janna up in the air.

Marco then leapt in the air and kicked Janna down, her body hitting the ground in a hard collision.

"Janna! No!" Star screamed in agony as she looked as she looked to see her love being beaten down again and again.

"How could you do this!? WHY!? WHY DID YOU DO THIS!?" Star screamed in utter rage as she glared at Toffee, her eyes a bright green as her wand was pulsing with an abnormal amount of dark energy once more.

"You should have stood by my side Butterfly...I could have given you all that you wanted. These four could have been brought back for a different purpose….But yet you chose this path. And so...death awaits it chooser…" Toffee said plainly.

"But turning the people I cherish against me!?" Star yelled.

"If you really treasured them….How could you hurt them so?" Toffee asked with a dull expression.

Star merely chose to remain silent, not having an answer for that question.

"Exactly...Face it Star. You are no savior...You're a demon...All you do is hurt and kill….You chose that path when you killed Ludo. You let your dark powers control and change you into a monster...And now the consequences of your actions have finally come to exact judgement." Toffee said with a smirk.

"You'll pay for this!" Star yelled as she let loose a bloodcurling scream. As she screamed, she felt newfound strength. Her magic seemed more potent, as well as her senses. She then felt a strange gathering of energy around her back. A pillar of green erected around her as she started to sprout six wings on her back. She then with a flap of her wings took flight.

"Oh my gosh….This power...I finally have my...My Mewberty wings?" Star asked in confusion.

Her eyes glowed a brilliant green as they narrowed them at Toffee.

"Hmph...Interesting…So another form comes to fruition..." Toffee said with a smirk.

Star then rushed at Toffee, preparing a spell. Moon however launched herself at Star, knocking her back in the ground.

"You'll have to get past me first…" Moon growled as she readied another spell.

Star then dodged it as she tackled Moon, sending the two of them careening into the air.

"Mom...I'm so sorry I have to do this….But you leave me no choice.." Star said as she blasted Moon away into a building.

Moon then flew back out as she clenched her fists and stared at her daughter.

"I can't believe I was to give the crown to you...I should have never gifted you that wand...You took all the love that we had given you as your parents and killed it...Just like you did us…AND OUR KINGDOM!" Moon screamed as she cast a spell around Star, a circle appeared around her.

"Now die…" Moon muttered.

Suddenly, the circle lit up as a huge explosion encircled Star, knocking her off balance and burning one of her wings to a crisp.

"Aaa!" Star screamed as she held her back in pain. She then mustered enough strength to persevere.l through the searing pain.

"I have to push through….I can't lose here…" Star thought as she steadied herself and then gathered her energy.

"Take this!" Star said as she blasted a huge energy wave at Moon, knocking her off balance and and back into a building again.

"Gah!" Moon screamed as she was blown back.

Moon then brushed herself off, smirking a bit as she stared at Star.

"I must say...You have certainly gained experience. But you can never defeat me Star. I may have been caught off guard before….But this time I won't be nearly as foolish as to trust you." Moon said.

She then summoned a storm of magic missiles to go after Star.

Star took to the air and tried to fly around the missiles, bobbing and weaving through it to avoid the blasts. However, one managed to catch her on her shoulder, taking out a pair of her wings.

"Gah!" Star screamed in pain as she struggled to stay afloat.

She was quickly losing altitude, and was starting to lose consciousness from the injuries she had received earlier.

She then no longer struggled as she let herself fall to the ground, a million thoughts going through her head.

"How could I lose….? I've failed everyone….Janna...Marco….Jackie...Mom...Dad...Pony head...Everyone…" Star thought before her mind shut down.

Janna was getting beaten senseless by the trio, and was bleeding very badly herself.

"*Pant*...That...all you got…?" Janna muttered as she used her sword as leverage to stand up once more.

"How are you still fighting…? I gotta say Janna, you've got some spirit…" Jackie smirked.

"Which will make it all the more fun to break you…" Hekapoo said as she engaged in combat with Janna.

Janna managed to block her attacks, but didn't see Marco approach from behind. She then was promptly kicked forward, where Jackie then blasted her back with another beam.

Jackie then raised her hand while Janna was down, blasting her with a dark beam over and over, Janna screaming in pain as she did so.

"Guess you aren't as good as you thought Janna….You can't protect your friends….Star...or yourself…." Hekapoo said as she placed a foot on Janna's head, grinding it to the pavement.

Marco then looked to the sky as he saw Star falling down from the sky.

"Hmph...They didn't stand a chance…." Marco smirked as he looked back to Janna, whose eyes were wide with fear and shock.

"Star!" She screamed as she struggled against Hekapoo's heel grinding into her head.

At this, she finally regained a second wind and managed to get free of her heel.

"Oh no you don't!" Jackie said with a smirk as she teleported in front of her and blasted her back.

"Aaaa!" Janna screamed as she was blasted backwards near Hekapoo once again.

"Please! Don't any of you have sympathy for her at all!?" Janna screamed.

"Sympathy….? What would you know of that, my pupil…?" Toffee asked as he and Moon emerged from a portal.

In Moon's hands was a beaten and panting Star.

"Star! No!" Janna said in fear as Moon throwed her near her.

"Toffee has granted you the ability to speak to one another before we are to execute you. Make it brief or you'll risk running our patience thin." Moon said with a frown as she brushed herself off.

Janna looked to Star as she shuffled over to her with whatever strength she had left.

"Star...Are you okay…?" Janna asked wearily.

"We're not going to beat them...They're too strong….We're going to die here Janna…" Star said as she looked at Janna with tear filled eyes as she hugged Janna.

"No, We're not dying here. I can figure out something else...Anything…" Janna muttered as she hugged Star back, tears coming to her face as well.

"You aren't…." Star said as her eyes went wide as she thought of an idea. The most powerful spell in all Butterfly history. The spell rumored to have leveled a planet….Inscepitus.

The ultimate spell…at the cost of one's life…

"Janna….I know both of us aren't going to make it...But there's a way for you to-" Star whispered.

"What...No! No! Don't you dare start talking like that! We live together, we die together!" Janna said as she grabbed Star's shoulders.

"I know...But this is the only way…" Star said softly.

"What are you doing Star?!" Janna whispered as a few tears slid down her face.

"Whatever you do Janna, you need to activate your shield….I'll take it from here...It's my turn to protect you…" Star said, giving her a thumbs up as she stood up, drawing the attention of Marco and Toffee.

"Star, what are you doing!? Why are you telling me-?!" Janna screamed before Star interrupted her.

"Just do it!" Star said.

"So...are you ready to finish this…?" Marco asked with an evil smile.

"Hekapoo….I took everything from you...Your friends...Your home...Your betrothed. Mom...I killed you when you reached out to help me...I thought you never supported me...But it was really the opposite…." Star said as she then turned to Jackie.

"Jackie...You deserved none of this...You didn't deserve my contempt or anger...You didn't deserve me ruining your relationship with Marco….I'm so sorry for everything…." Star said.

"Marco….I'm sorry for all the hurt I've caused. For lying to you...For ruining our friendship forever….But now I know…" Star said as she clenched her fists.

All four of Toffee's possessed pawns looked in confusion at the blonde girl.

For a second, just a second...Marco could feel something other than rage at the girl.

He finally identified after a few minutes….pity...sadness…

"Y-you.. you're not the real Marco. It's just some game Toffee made to try and mess with my mind." She mumbled, closing her eyes. She lowered her wand for a moment to speak, her blonde hair dancing wildly with the wind. "This all just some game, right? A stupid, messed up game that Toffee is using to screw with my head." She opened her eyes again, her sparkling green irises now fully able to see. "But.. if you ARE the real Marco.."

Star looked down and pulled out the picture of her and Marco, staring at it in deep thought. "If you are the real Marco," she repeated. "Then I hope that I'm just breaking you from this.. this HELL that you're stuck in." She said softly. "Goodbye." Her hearts continued to glow as she muttered the sacred words to the spell.

" _ **Um meine Feinde zu schlagen, um unvorstellbare Macht zu erlangen ...  
Ich verlor mein Leben zu dir …"**_

Star was then surrounded in a mystic aura as Toffee's widened in fear for the first time in a while.

"No...That cannot be...How could she use such a spell!?" Toffee said as he backed up slowly.

" _ **INSCEPTIUS!"**_ Star yelled as a massive explosion appeared around Star as Janna activated her shield, the force of the blast blowing her away in a massive gust of wind.

She lowered her wand after that, and the glowing from her hearts seemed to fade back to their normal pink color. Not for long, however, for it seemed like the hearts were losing their pink color as well. Her eyes fluttered closed and she collapsed to the floor, dropping her wand. It rolled to Janna's feet, still pulsing with green magic.

Everything was a dull gray. Whatever life that had been previously there had been extinguished.

Janna slowly stood up, her ears ringing from the major blast as she shook her head and gathered her bearings.

She looked around to see if Hekapoo or Jackie were still around, but found that their bodies laid still on the ground.

"They're dead…." Janna said softly.

Janna at that moment...even after all the torture that they put her through...She couldn't help but feel remorse for them.

"I'm so sorry you two….I hope you find peace someday…"

She then saw Star laying on the ground, a puddle of her own blood surrounding her.

"Star!" Janna said as she ran up to her and picked her up off the ground.

"Janna…*cough*...You're...you're okay...Thank goodness…" Star said as she smiled softly before she hacked up more blood.

"Star….? What's going on….?" Janna asked fearfully.

"I'm glad I kept you safe one last time…." Star said softly as she cupped her cheek.

"No! What do you mean one last time!? We're going home together right!?" Janna asked as tears started to fall from her face.

"I'm sorry Janna….That isn't going to happen…I've caused too much hurt to this world….I can't go on.." Star said as she coughed once more.

"No Star! You haven't! You know that this world needs you! They need you!...I need you!" Janna sobbed as her tears fell on Star.

"They need YOU Janna...Not me….I want you to live on for the both of us…" Star said with a small smile.

"You have so much to live for….Me..? All I have is darkness…." Star said as she looked to the ground.

"Nothing is worth protecting to me...nothing but you…." Star said.

Janna at that moment broke down into a fit if crying.

"What about all the things we were going to do afterward…? What am I going to tell everyone!" Janna screamed in anguish.

"Nobody would miss me…." Star said softly.

"That's not true...I would!" Janna said as she hugged Star closer.

"Please don't do this to me Star...Please…" Janna begged, but Star nodded her head.

"Janna...I don't have much time left...And I need to say this...I'm so sorry.. I always pushed you away...I let you be corrupted by Toffee...I said horrible things..Things that weren't true….I should have been honest from the beginning…"Star said as she looked down.

"I hurt you so much...But you just pushed it down so that it wouldn't worry me…" Star said.

"You have nothing to be sorry for! You can save the apologies for when we get home!" Janna cried.

"You and I both know that there is no home left for me….My home is up there Janna…." Star said softly as she felt a tear go down her cheek.

"No it's not Star! It's down here with me! Please don't go Star! You can't die on me!" Janna yelled desperately.

"I'm sorry Janna...But this is my fate…" Star said before she looked up at the sky, her eyes starting to whiten as her cheek's hearts lost their color.

"When I'm gone...I want you to cast a spell to make everyone forget about me..okay?" Star asked.

Janna merely continued to cry as she hugged Star closer.

"Please...don't cry...Smile for me...okay? Just this once…" Star said as she nuzzled her head in Janna's bosom.

"I….I love you Janna…." Star said.

Janna then collapsed as she clutched Star's now still body, her tears mixing with the blood stains to create tears of red.

Her body then started to dissolve in her arms, flowing off into the wind as it glowed around her.

Janna was left there. Hopeless…..Broken...And Alone….

She had no direction….nowhere to go...no one to be with….But her never-ending sorrow….


End file.
